Uganda qualified for the Men’s T20 World Cup for the first time with a nine-wicket victory over Rwanda in African qualifying.
The win meant the Cricket Cranes, ranked 23rd in the world, clinched second place in the six-team tournament in Windhoek, Namibia.
Uganda will join Namibia at the 20-team finals in the United States and the West Indies next year after the Eagles qualified with a game to spare on Tuesday.
“It is pretty surreal,” captain Brian Masaba said.
“I can’t put words to the emotions we are feeling now as a team. It’s massive for Ugandan cricket and huge for African cricket, especially, for a country like Uganda to make it to the World Cup.” Having opened with a win over Tanzania and then a defeat by Namibia, Uganda upset Zimbabwe in their third game on Sunday, winning by five wickets in their first T20 International against a full ICC member.
The East Africans subsequently cruised to a nine-wicket triumph over Nigeria and beat neighbours Kenya by 33 runs on Wednesday to move to the brink of qualification.
(BBC sport)
