The Uganda U19 Girls’ cricket team, the Baby Victoria Pearls, opened their ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers 2024 campaign with a commanding 49-run victory over Namibia at the Gahanga International Cricket Stadium in Kigali, Rwanda yesterday.
After opting to bat first, Uganda posted a competitive 128/6 in their allotted 20 overs.
Malisa Ariokot and Asumin Akurut played crucial innings to guide their side to a solid total, while Namibia’s Mekelaye Ndaukatekeka Mwatile tried to resist with the ball.
Namibia’s bowling unit struggled to contain Uganda, conceding 28 extras that boosted Uganda’s innings.
Uganda’s bowlers then delivered a clinical performance, dismissing Namibia for just 79 runs in 17.5 overs.
Lona Anyait, Patricia Fiona Timong, and Mary Patricia Apolot were the standout performers with the ball, consistently applying pressure to Namibia’s batting lineup, which crumbled under Uganda’s disciplined attack.
Namibia had defeated Uganda in their previous encounter at the 2022 qualifiers in Botswana, but this time the Baby Victoria Pearls reversed the outcome.
Reflecting on the victory, Uganda’s captain, Jumia Mohammad, expressed her delight, saying, “I’m very happy that we came hard and won our first game. That’s a very good sign that we shall keep on winning the following games.”
She added that the team would work on improving their performance in the upcoming matches, noting areas for improvement from their opening game.
The Baby Victoria Pearls now shift their focus to Kenya, who will be their next opponents today at 10:30 am at the IPRC Kigali grounds.
Kenya, having suffered a heavy defeat in their opening match against hosts Rwanda, will be looking for redemption.
Rwanda won that match by 58 runs, bowling out Kenya for a mere 37 runs, with Uwimana Ruth taking an impressive 4 wickets for just 6 runs.
The Baby Victoria Pearls, though, will be determined to build on their momentum as they seek to claim the sole qualification spot for the 2025 U19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Malaysia.
Uganda finished fourth in the 2022 edition held in Botswana, and with several experienced players in the squad, they are considered one of the favourites to progress deep into the tournament.
The competition features eight teams, including Uganda, Namibia, Kenya, Rwanda, Tanzania, Malawi, and Zimbabwe, all vying for a chance to represent Africa.
The top two sides from each group will advance to the semifinals, with the final scheduled for Sunday, September 29, in Kigali.
