The team faces a challenging journey ahead in the tournament, which is being co-hosted by the United States and West Indies from June 1 to June 29. Their opponents include formidable teams such as New Zealand, West Indies, Afghanistan, and Papua New Guinea, with matches scheduled to take place in Guyana and Trinidad and Tobago.
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The Uganda Cricket Association only recently appointed Indian former first-class cricketer Abhay Sharma as the new head coach of the men’s national team, leaving limited time for preparation.
“Mostly we don’t have time to relax. It’s going to be high-intensity preparations,” said 32-year-old Cranes captain Brian Masaba, who has already been recognized by the International Cricket Council for his impressive performance, ranking him as the captain with the second highest number of wins in T20 internationals.
Masaba emphasizes the significance of the World Cup as a platform for Uganda to showcase its cricketing prowess and hopes to secure a few victories during the tournament.
“If we can pick up a couple of wins at the World Cup, it would be a huge bonus for us. But more importantly, for me is the platform that the World Cup gives to Uganda as a country,” said Masaba.
“So it is important for us as ambassadors of the game to portray the country in a good light and that’s by going out there and playing good cricket.”
Uganda’s participation in the World Cup holds great significance for the team and the country as a whole. Juma Miyagi, a 21-year-old player from the Kampala slum of Naguru, sees this opportunity as a means to not only boost Ugandan cricket but also to further his own international career and support his struggling family.
Veteran all-rounder Frank Nsubuga, who has been playing internationally since 1997, expresses his excitement and fulfillment in finally realizing his dream of playing in the World Cup at the age of 43.
“Having been playing for the last 27 years I’m very excited to have qualified to play in the World Cup. It was my dream and it has come true,” said Nsubuga, who will be one of the oldest players in the tournament.
Coach Sharma, drawing from his extensive global coaching experience, is focused on honing the team’s skills and mindset in preparation for the tournament. While acknowledging the high expectations of fans, he remains realistic about the team’s prospects, considering their relative inexperience on the global stage.
“We are going step by step. We are working on their skill sets, we are working on their mindset. The expectation of the fans is there. We have to be realistic. This is a young team and it is a baby of global cricket. But they are in good shape and expectations are high,” admitted Sharma.
(Inputs from AFP)