Global Game: Bhutan take cricket to the far east, Uganda become Africa champions

Bhutan take cricket to Merak and Sakteng with ICC criiio

The ICC criiio cricket program helped take cricket to Merak and Sakteng and was led by officials from head office and coaches from other districts. The program was unique as it takes three days of traveling by road from the capital city of Thimphu to reach both schools. These two schools (Merak Primary School & Sakteng Lower Secondary School) are some of the few remotest schools in Bhutan where such kind of programs are not conducted.

After the program, each participant was given a plastic bat and ball which was sponsored by UNICEF Bhutan. A total of 484 Students and 26 teachers were involved from both schools during the program.

Uganda win ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier

Uganda this week beat East African rivals Kenya to progress to next year’s global qualifiers for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia.At the regional final for the African qualification pathway, held in Rwanda from the 17th to the 20th, the East African trio of Uganda, Kenya and Tanzania were joined by West Africans Nigeria. Despite progressing to the global qualifiers in 2019, Nigeria went winless this time as the other three all traded wins.

Getting underway on Wednesday last week, the event started with a thriller between the two frontrunners as Kenya edged out Uganda in their morning game at the IPRC Ground in Kigali.

Opting to bat at the toss, Kenya posted a challenging 161/5 in their 20 overs. Veteran all-rounder Collins Obuya, now into his 20th year of official internationals, top-scored with 44 (35), while Rakep Patel’s 28* (12) provided some late impetus at the death.

For Uganda, their own veteran, off-spinner Frank Nsubuga (24 years into his international career, having made his debut for East and Central Africa at the 1997 ICC Trophy) was at his miserly best with 2/7 in 4 overs.

A devastating opening burst from Kenyan seamers Nehemiah Odhiambo (2/17 off 4) and Elijah Otieno (3/18 off 4) left the Ugandan top order in tatters at 4/4 in the third over, then 35/5 in the ninth, before Deusdedit Muhumuza (59* off 48) and Dinesh Nakrani (67 off 32) alternated between anchor and aggressor. It wasn’t enough though, and despite hitting 19 runs in the final over, Uganda fell a single run short.

Across town at the Gahanga stadium, Tanzania made short work of Nigeria, restricting them to 114/9 in 20 overs, and cruising the chase 4 wickets down inside 14 overs.

Nigeria again fell short in their afternoon game at Gahanga, despite an improved bowling effort keeping Uganda to 147/9 (Dinesh Nakrani continuing his good form with 37* off 22). Nigeria’s response was cut short by rain, and being a little sluggish at 50/2 in the 10th over, they were 12 runs adrift of the DLS target when the innings was abandoned.

Meanwhile at the IPRC, and Tanzania pulled off a boilover against Kenya. Led by Arshan Jasani’s 90* (52) and Ivan Selemani’s 40 (21), Kenya’s southern neighbours raced to 187/5 in their 20 overs, before Riziki Kiseto’s off-spin derailed the chase with 4/17 in 4 overs. They were bowled out for just 138 in the 19th over.

Thursday’s second day of play got underway with a comfortable win to Uganda at the Gahanga, with Bilal Hassan’s 3/22 in 4 keeping Tanzania to 140/8, before Ronak Patel biffed 68* (49) to carry the chase home in 18.2 overs with 8 wickets in hand.

Kenya also started their day with a comfortable win at IPRC over Nigeria. Alex Obanda became the first Kenyan to score a T20I century with 103* (56), as he smashed a 6 to take himself to the milestone and his team past the modest Nigerian total of 130/6 in the 14th over with 8 wickets in hand.

Kenya tasted victory again in the afternoon at Gahanga, as they bundled out Tanzania for just 101 (Vraj Patel’s 3/17 in 4 the best figures) before chasing in 12.3 overs to take revenge for their humiliation on the first day.

Uganda meanwhile claimed another easy win against Nigeria, Riazat Ali Shah’s 4/12 in 3 overs helping to restrict them to 112/9 in their 20. Ronak Patel’s 35* (35) helped them to walk the chase just 2-down in the 17th over.

Friday was a rest day, then on Saturday, the action resumed at Gahanga with Uganda trouncing Tanzania as they searched for a net run rate boost. Sent in at the toss, Tanzania were bundled out for just 68, with young off-spinning all-rounder Frank Akankwasa leading the rout with 4/10 in 3.4 overs. Opener Simon Ssesazi anchored the chase with 39 (39), and Uganda were home with 6 wickets and 42 balls to spare.

Meanwhile, Kenya thrashed Nigeria at the IPRC to move ahead of Uganda on NRR. Led by Irfan Karim’s 52* (38), the East Africans reached 168/6, before Vraj Patel claimed 5/12 in 4 overs to help dismiss Nigeria for just 108. With Uganda and Kenya equal on points going into their afternoon match at Gahanga, it became a virtual final with only one qualifying slot available for the global qualifiers.

Opting to bat first, Kenya were off to an encouraging start as Alex Obanda smashed his first ball off Dinesh Nakrani for a glorious straight six. But the introduction of Frank Nsubuga in the powerplay put the brakes on, as he stifled the Kenyans with 1/9 in 4, and his spin colleagues Henry Ssenyondo (1/14 in 4) and Frank Akankwasa (0/18 in 3) kept a lid on the scoring.

Rakep Patel fought back for the Kenyans with an aggressive 62* off 46 (the only Kenyan with a strike rate above 90), and dragged his side to a respectable 123/3.

A sluggish start and two wickets to Rakep Patel (2/17 in 3) put Uganda behind the asking rate, before Riazat Ali Shah’s 43* (31) dragged them back into the lead. With an over shaved off due to rain, the target was revised to 118 off 19 overs in the DLS calculations, and Uganda got over the line in the 18th over to book the final place at next year’s global qualifiers.

While the Cricket Cranes were celebrating, Tanzania completed a clinical win over Nigeria at IPRC - Kassim Nassoro’s 40* (25) carried them to 136/7, before Jatinkumar Darji’s 4/10 in 4 overs helped to dismiss Nigeria for just 67.

Global Game is a collaboration between the ICC andEmerging Cricket.