1 year ago
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PROVIDENCE, Guyana (AP):
BRIAN MASABA’S Uganda lineup scraped to a three-wicket victory in a low-scoring thriller against Papua New Guinea on Wednesday for their first win at a Twenty20 World Cup.
Then they lined up on the boundary rope and bowed to acknowledge the cricket fans who travelled from Africa to the Caribbean to support them.
Uganda bowled PNG out for 77 but had difficulty chasing the low target. The first three wickets fell in 2.1 overs and they’d already lost half their wickets when they slumped to 26-5 in the seventh over.
Riazat Ali Shah (33) and Juma Miyagi (13) steadied the innings with a 35-run sixth-wicket partnership and put Uganda on course for victory with 10 balls and three wickets to spare in just their second game at a cricket T20 World Cup.
“First win at the World Cup – doesn’t get more special than this,” Masaba said. “I’m super proud of this group, the work they put in. To get a win for their country at a World Cup, it’s pretty special.”
Masaba’s team went through African qualifying and made it to the 20-team global tournament at the expense of Zimbabwe, a long-time full member of the International Cricket Council.
“It’s been three or four years of very hard work,” Masaba said. “Getting to the World Cup was special, but this is more.”
Alpesh Ramjani, Cosmas Kyewuta, Miyagi and 43-year-old offspinner Frank Nsubuga each took two wickets in a tidy team bowling effort for Uganda.
It started with Ramjani taking a wicket on the second ball of the match, trapping PNG skipper Assad Vala leg before wicket. Nsubuga applied late pressure with figures of two for four from four overs.
“Super proud of the bowling unit,” Masaba said. “They set up the game for us.”
“When you’re three down early, chasing a low score … it was a real scrap out there,” Masaba said. “Every run they scored was very important for us.”
Just as important as the support, he added.
“We have a special group of fans who travel around the world to support us. I don’t think they came here expecting a win at the World Cup but this is the least we can do for them,” he said. “I hope they feel as special as we do.”
And together with the fans watching the games on TV in the pre-dawn hours back in Uganda, Masaba acknowledged the lift it gave his team.
“It’s not easy,” he said. “We salute them and appreciate them.”
English (US) ·