2025 Major Events:
- Challenge League Second Round – February, Hong Kong
- U-19 Boys World Cup Qualifiers – April, Nigeria
- Africa T20 Men’s World Cup Finals – September, Zimbabwe
- Africa Finals Women’s T20 Finals – October, TBC
In 2024, Uganda Cricket had a good year but most of the wins came on the back of a very good 2023.
The Cricket Cranes earned qualification to the 2024 T20 World Cup after finishing among the top two teams at the qualifiers in Namibia, while the Victoria Pearls got a place at the Global Qualifiers because of a top-two finish in Entebbe in late 2023.
The rewards of 2024 came from the gains of 2023, and 2025 could be as definitive as 2023 was.
The Cricket Cranes’ maiden appearance at the 2024 T20 World Cup in West Indies is the highlight of a good year. For the boys in yellow to line up alongside test-playing countries such as New Zealand, West Indies, and Afghanistan is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity considering the gap between Uganda and the other teams.
Uganda managed a win against fellow associates PNG, a nervy three-wicket win but it wasn’t deserved. Riazat Ali Shah was outstanding in the win with a player-of-the-match knock but Frank Nsubuga made history of his own with some economical bowling spell (2/4) and is also the oldest player to ever play in the World Cup at 43.
The Cricket Cranes had low scores in the other games which is evidence of a gulf in class but gave a great account with the ball in hand as Brian Masaba finished with five World Cup wickets while Cosmas Kyewuta, Juma Miyagi, and Alpesh Ramjani showed that they belong.
In a very uneventful year for the Victoria Pearls, a return to the Global Qualifiers in Abu Dhabi early in the year was the highlight for them. The report card was not good looking after finishing 6th out of the eight teams, a reality that there is still a lot of work to do for them to catch up with the rest of the global teams as they chase a World Cup spot.
The ladies managed to win a fourth Kwibuka title in Kigali Rwanda to avenge the heartbreak of 2023 with a very young side that had U-19 players who needed some international exposure.
Unfortunately, the baby Victoria Pearls failed to progress to the U-19 girls’ World Cup at the qualifiers in Kigali. They could only manage fourth place as Nigeria nicked Zimbabwe for the only one spot at the World Cup.
On the local scene, the men’s league competitions got new champions, Kutchi Tigers winning the men’s 50-over League for the first time in their history while Wanderers won the men’s T20 League. The Aziz Damani dominance of the local leagues stopped only because the perennial winners chose not to take part in the local competitions.
Soroti City won the Women’s T20 League for the second year in a row defeating their sister club Olila Cricket Club in the final. Wanderers and Tornado Bee had some strong performances in the ladies’ league without the usual champion Aziz Damani.
Riazat Ali Shah was crowned Cricket of the Year after edging former T20 Cricket Cranes Captain Brian Masaba in a close poll while Alpesh Ramjani and Rita Musamali won the male and female cricketers of the Year respectively at the annual awards.
In 2025 Uganda Cricket has some major activities with the second round of the Challenge League early in the year, a test for the Cricket Cranes as they chase a spot at the 2027 50-Over World Cup. A strong performance in Hong Kong should more or less guarantee them a place at the next stage.
The major one for the Cricket Cranes will be the Africa T20 finals in Zimbabwe. The team will be chasing a second appearance at the T20 World Cup in India/Sri Lanka but they will have to go through a hostile Zimbabwe and Namibia to earn one of the two slots available for Africa.
The Victoria Pearls will be chasing their third appearance at the Global Qualifiers at the women’s Africa T20 Qualifiers later in the year. Zimbabwe and other usual suspects should give them a run for the two spots available for qualification.
The U-19 boys will be looking to better their last performance at the U-19 World Cup qualifiers in Nigeria in April. A single spot is up for grabs to the junior showpiece. Uganda has been to the World Cup thrice and a fourth time will be a great achievement for a new generation of players.
If the national teams are successful in 2025, Uganda will qualify for two World Cups (T20 World Cup and U-19 boys World Cup) with the Victoria Pearls also qualifying for the global T20 World Cup Qualifiers.
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