Proscovia Alako’s return to the Victoria Pearls team was the standout change as UCA announced its squad for the upcoming T20 Global Qualifiers.
Alako, who missed the training camp in India and the African Games last month, is now back as the team is in final preparations for the crucial global qualifiers later this month.
Despite not being part of the traveling team, Prosscovia kept her hopes alive and continued training diligently at Kinetic and Lugogo Cricket Oval alongside Kakai Suzan, Alumo Irene, and Patricia Malemikia.
Under the guidance of Mr. Turinawe Davis, the development manager for Uganda Cricket Association, she successfully regathered her form and has been one of the standout performers among the batters in the trial games.
Despite Alako’s remarkable performance of 198 not out against Lords Meade Vocational during last year’s Girls’ Schools Cricket Week in Soroti, where she hit 21 boundaries (4s) and 13 sixes, she was unable to replicate this achievement during the Africa qualifiers hosted in Entebbe in December last year.
This was because she devoted much of her time and attention to completing her advanced level examinations, leaving her with limited training time.
Throughout the qualifiers, her highest individual score was only 23 off 28 in the game against Nigeria.
Hailing from Soroti and a graduate of Soroti Cricket Academy, Alako made her international debut in 2019 and has left a significant impact on the sport since then.
With 43 WT20Is under her belt, she has amassed 577 runs, including a highest score of 116 against Tanzania in the Kwibuka Tournament in 2019 with a strike rate of 108.72.
Her international batting record includes one century, one half-century, 64 fours, and 9 sixes.
The strategic decision to include Alako in the squad underscores her potential as a dynamic player, adding depth to Uganda’s batting lineup for the qualifiers.
In a conversation with journalist Clive Kyazze, Victoria Pearls’ newly appointed captain, Janet Mbabazi, highlighted Alako’s emergence as a key player, contributing significantly with her batting skills.
Alako’s journey reflects a promising future for women’s cricket in Uganda, and her return adds strength to the team’s aspirations for success in international tournaments, including the upcoming world cup qualifiers in Dubai.