Ssesazi dropped, Rizu looks to double efforts
Simon Ssesazi has paid the price for poor form. PHOTO/COURTESY
What you need to know:
The road to the 2027 ODI (One-Day International) World Cup set to be held in Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa has evoked changes.
The senior national men’s cricket team - Cricket Cranes - is down to working on finer details in a camp in Jinja before they play as hosts during the International Cricket Council (ICC) Cricket World Cup Challenge League (CWCCL) B tournament next month.
And shortly after making a day in Jinja, Uganda Cricket Association (UCA) announced the 14-man squad which will compete over five matches in Lugogo and Entebbe from November 4-16.
The road to the 2027 ODI (One-Day International) World Cup set to be held in Zimbabwe, Namibia and South Africa has evoked changes.
Two top-order batsmen Roger Mukasa and Simon Ssesazi are the biggest omissions in coach Abhay Sharma’s team. The pair severely struggled with the bat during the ICC Men’s Twenty20 World Cup in the West Indies five months ago.
Ssesazi is dropped for a major tournament for the first time in half-a-decade after making just nine runs in four competitive matches in the West Indies.
Mukasa in the Caribbean too scored three successive ducks and Sharma dropped him early for the recent Papua New Guinea Tour of Uganda in Entebbe.
Both travelled for the warm-up camp in South Africa but they have been replaced by a duo of Asian descent in Shrideep Mangela and Raghav Dhawan.
Mukasa, 35, and Ssesazi together with Ronak Patel and Bilal Hassun are the four dropped from the squad which played the T20 World Cup.
“There are a few things that we didn’t do well and that is why we are in Jinja,” said Ogwang’s assistant Jackson Ogwang. “It’s better for the team to come and gel as we get into the last weeks.”
In terms of leadership, all-rounder Riazat ‘Rizu’ Ali Shah takes over the captaincy from Brian Masaba, who is still part of the squad. He however anticipates a pile of work.
“It’s an extra job for me, and I have to manage my performance and captaincy for me. It will not be easy but I have to do my job,” said Shah.
“The boys are motivated; they are excited to play in their home cities. We want to get the ODI status. Last time, we missed by a couple of margins,” he added about the mood in the camp.
Uganda is set to play warm-up matches against Bahrain beginning on Monday.
ICC WORLD CRICKET LEAGUE CHALLENGE LEAGUE B
FIRST ROUND DETAILS
Dates: November 4-16
Administrator(s): International Cricket Council
Cricket format: List A
Tournament format: Round-robin
Host: Uganda Cricket Association
Participants: 6 (Bahrain, Hong Kong, Italy, Singapore, Tanzania, Uganda)
Matches: 15
UGANDA’S FIXTURES
Nov 6: Uganda vs. Singapore, Lugogo
Nov 9: Uganda vs. Tanzania, Lugogo
Nov 10: Uganda vs. Hong Kong, Lugogo
Nov 13: Uganda vs. Italy, Entebbe
Nov 16: Uganda vs. Bahrain, Entebbe
BAHRAIN’S TOUR OF UGANDA
October 26: Arrival & Transfer to Jinja
October 28: T20I vs. Uganda
October 29: T20I vs. Uganda
October 31: 50 Overs vs. Uganda
November 2: Transfer to Kampala
TEAM UGANDA TO CWCCL B
PLAYERS: Riazat Ali Shah (Captain), Fred Achelam (Wicket-keeper), Juma Miyagi, Shrideep Mangela, Frank Nsubuga, Brian Masaba, Raghav Dhawan, Cosmas Kyewuta, Robinson Obuya, Alpesh Ramjani, Pascal Murungi, Henry Ssenyondo, Dinesh Nakrani, Kenneth Waiswa
RESERVES: Cyrus Kakuru, Joseph Baguma
