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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
THE countdown to the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier is gathering momentum as more teams continue to set base in Zimbabwe ahead of the tournament that gets underway on Monday.
After the Netherlands, USA and Jersey had arrived earlier in the week, Uganda were yesterday expected in Zimbabwe for the eight-team tournament. They left Kampala in the afternoon.
The Cricket Cranes made only two changes to the team that played in the recently concluded ICC Challenge League B with Bilal Hassun and opening batsman Roger Mukasa coming in.
Hassun had last featured for cricket cranes in Kigali against Tanzania in a tournament where Uganda booked their Global World Cup qualifiers slot after emerging as winners.
Former captain Mukasa came in place of vice-captain Deus Muhumuza, who failed to pass a late fitness test. Muhumuza sustained an injury during the ICC Challenge League B tournament in Kampala.
Uganda are making their return to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier, having not featured since 2013 when they finished 13th.
The Cricket Cranes will hope to make their debut at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup by finishing as one of the two finalists in Qualifier B. Muhumuza wished the team well on departure.
“I want to see Uganda play at the World Cup. It has been my dream ever since I began playing cricket. I want Uganda to get this feeling of what happens at the biggest stage of cricket.
“And that’s what I’ll be looking at even then as a leader, I want to see us walk out as the most agile, the most disciplined, the most fighting team that they have seen at the tournament.
“It would mean a lot, there are kids out there who are talented, who just need that little bit of light at the end of the tunnel.
“It would inspire many people, it would increase the awareness of the game in this country, already it is growing rapidly, the World Cup would just be the final piece of the puzzle,” he said.
Netherlands and USA were the first teams to touch down on Monday. Jersey then followed on Tuesday, with former Zimbabwe national team coach Alan Butcher part of the Jersey technical team.
The islanders were coming from more cricket games in Uganda and Namibia as part of their preparations.
Jersey were involved in a triangular T20 series with hosts Namibia and USA last week but had a difficult outing after losing all four games.
They have set up a date with local first class franchise Mid-West Rhinos today and tomorrow as part of their final preparations.
Their head coach Neil Macrae told the Jersey Evening Post that his team was looking forward to the tournament.
“Morale and team spirit is very high. They are an incredibly close group of players. We are all extremely proud to represent Jersey in any international tournament,” Neil Macrae.
The tournament, set for Queens Sports Club and Bulawayo Athletic Club, is one of two global contests that form the final stage of the qualification process for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 to be held in Australia.
Hosts Zimbabwe, who are currently holding a training camp in Bulawayo, are in Group A and will play Jersey, Singapore and the US. Group B comprises the Netherlands, Hong Kong, Papua New Guinea and Uganda.
The top two teams from the group will advance to the semi-finals, set for July 15. Then the two teams that make it to the final will qualify for the ICC T20 World Cup finals to be held in Australia between October and November this year.
The winner of the qualifying tournament will go into Group B in Round 1 at the T20 World Cup finals in Australia where they will play Ireland, Scotland and the West Indies.
The runner-up will go into Group A alongside Namibia, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates.
Then, the top two teams from each group after this round will proceed to the Super 12, joining the top eight teams from the last edition.
Online Reporter