False Start for Cricket Cranes against Zimbabwe

Uganda 152/9
Zimbabwe 157/5
Zimbabwe won by 5 wickets

The Cricket Cranes began the 2025 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers with a 5-wicket loss to hosts Zimbabwe on Friday in their Group B opener.

After winning the toss and choosing to bat, Uganda through opener Raghav Dhawan had an impressive start. The 38-year-old powered to a 29 off 19 to help his side record a healthy 53 in power play. Uganda lost two wickets- Robinson Obuya and Cyrus Kakuru inside power play, but the runs on board were a thing to savour.

Sumeet Verma who entered at No.4 took the mantle off Dhawan after the latter got dismissed in the eighth Over. Verma bolted to 45, scoring four maximums in the process, but his innings got shortened in the 10.5 when he got caught by Brendan Taylor.

The team captain, Riazat Ali Shah’s 35 off 24 was a great addition to the total as well, however, the 152 his team set wasn’t something they could defend.

It was a great start for Uganda, but Zimbabwe’s innings was even better. By the end of the eighth Over, they had secured half of the required total, with Brian Bennet scoring 50 off 29 in that period.

Joseph Baguma at the end of his 3rd Over (his last) dismissed Bennett, but with the latter’s 72 off 44, damage had already been done.

Uganda after the fall of Bennett picked two more wickets through their vice captain Juma Miyaji, but these were just for the good of the bowler. It was too late to salvage anything. Tashinga Musekiwa sealed the goods for his country in the 17.3 with a maximum- Zimbabwe’s fifth overall.

This was a sweet revenge for Zimbabwe who lost miserably to Uganda in the 2023 edition. At their expense, Uganda qualified for their first ever World Cup thanks to that win which incidentally was a 5-wicket win as well.

Both sides will return to action on Sunday for their respective second group games. Uganda who will be looking to get their campaign going will take on Tanzania while the hosts will face Botswana.

For Uganda to advance to the semifinals and keep their chances of returning to World Cup alive, they need to win their two remaining games including Botswana who they face last on Tuesday.

Tanzania thumped Botswana by 7 wickets in the other group game. Botswana set 122/6, Tanzania chased that in the 13.5 Over. With their healthy 2.864 net run rate, Tanzania end Match day one leading the Group.