Ismail Dhakaba Kigongo and Innocent Ndawula
18 July 2011
Uganda pulled off a stiff chase to upset overwhelming favourites Namibia by 6 wickets in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Africa Division I Twenty20 Championship final at Lugogo yesterday.
Namibia had beaten Uganda twice in the round robin phase and it was a sweet revenge after the southern Africans set the hosts 149 to win having built on Louis Petrus van der Westhuizen’s defiant half century of 52 off 32 balls.
Nothing was going to deny skipper Davis Karashani and his teammates as they earned the result which mattered most in front of a large passionate crowd.
Special occasion
“I am probably speechless because this is such a special occasion to win at home,” an elated Karashani said in the post match press conference. “I thank all the fans that came and all those who have always believed in Ugandan cricket.”
Karashani wore a thin smile after Benjamin Musoke (19* off 18) and man-of-the match Frank Nsubuga (26* off 24) scored the winning runs with 14 balls remaining.
Namibian skipper Craig Williams won the mandatory toss and set free his batsmen to have a go at the Ugandan bowlers. A couple of lapses in the field and big hitting Westhuizen and Williams (27 off 30) helped Namibia reach 75 for 1 in 9.4 overs. The game was slipping away but Karashani showed rare guts and unbelievable skill as he rallied an unbelievable comeback. The 24-year-old snared two big wickets of Westhuizen and powerful Gerrie Snyman (12 off 10) in a brilliant four-over spell of 2 for 30.
Lugogo erupted when he later clung on to two magnificent catches in the deep to claim the prize scalps of Louis Klazinga (0 off 1) and Stephen Baard (14 off 11) as top seeds Namibia ran out of ammunition to blaze off the final overs.
Magical openers
Uganda’s chase was set up by youthful openers Roger Mukasa Galiwango (42 off 31; 4×4 & 2×6) and left hander Arthur Kyobe (34 off 24; 2×4 & 2×6) who waved their willows like magic wands to take Uganda to 82 for 1 in 8.2 overs. Way ahead of Namibia!
From then, there was no way Uganda was going to step off the gas despite losing three quick wickets for 23 runs in crumbling to 105 for 4.
The experienced Nsubuga calmed all the nerves with three sixes and a four to knock the last nails in the Namibians’ coffin.
It was only fitting that veteran Musoke, whose inning had three fours, stroked the winning runs over square leg to send everyone into rapturous applause.
“At the start of the week, I said Uganda is a good T20 and ODI side.
We had so many lapses and miscommunications. They put us on the back foot and congratulations to them. Thank you to all the supporters as well. It was a nice game of cricket,” said Namibain captain Williams.
AllAfrica – All the Time
Excerpt from:
National Cricket Team Upsets Namibia