By 
The Uganda Men’s National Cricket Team, the Cricket Cranes started off their ICC T20 World Cup qualifiers campaign with an astonishing two wickets victory over Hong Kong in Zimbabwe on Monday.
In a low-scoring game that went to the wire, Riazat Ali Khan and Cosmas Kyewuta got Uganda’s last two needed runs after Riazat skied a Haroon Arshad delivery to Aizaz Khan, but the Hong Kong fielder was unable to catch it.
Both sides had a poor day with the bat. Hong Kong won the toss and elected to bat first, where they were restricted to 87 for nine all out.
In the first innings, Dinesh Nakrani was excellent for Uganda as he picked up four wickets for 12 runs from his four overs while in the second innings, Riazat Ali Khan hit an unbeaten 28 to help Uganda get across the line with three balls to spare.
Ronak Patel (16), Frank Nsubuga (10) and Nakrani (11) were the only Uganda batters to get into double figures while Simon Ssesaza got dismissed for a golden duck.
Hong Kong’s Kinchit Shah had the game’s best figures in battling with 37 runs in 46 balls.
With the victory in their first game, Uganda now occupy second place in group B with two points and will play Papua New Guinea next.
PNG lost to Netherlands by 52 runs in their first game.
The ICC T20 World Cup Qualifiers in Zimbabwe is one of two global tournaments that together form the final stage of the qualification process for the 2022 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
The top two teams from group B will advance to the semi-final of the the global qualifiers where they will verse the top two teams from group A.
The two finalists will qualify for the 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
