By 
Uganda’s hopes of advancing to the next stage of the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup qualification pathway have tightened considerably after the Cricket Cranes suffered their second consecutive defeat in the Dar es Salaam leg of the Challenge League B campaign.
Uganda were beaten by 51 runs by Hong Kong-China on Wednesday, a day after suffering a heavy 113-run defeat to Italy.
The back-to-back losses leave Uganda on 20 points, level with Italy, who remain ahead on net run rate. Hong Kong-China have moved to 18 points with two matches remaining for each side.
The Cricket Cranes can no longer afford another setback.
For the second consecutive day, Uganda lost the toss and were asked to bowl first at the NTS Ground, TCA Arena – UDSM.
Hong Kong-China made a steady start, reaching 75/1 before Uganda’s bowlers fought back to restrict them to 170 all out in 50 overs.
Joseph Baguma and Henry Ssenyondo claimed three wickets apiece, while Dinesh Nakrani and returning bowler Juma Miyaji also picked up wickets.
For Ssenyondo, the performance was particularly significant. His 3/29 took him to 50 List A career wickets, making him the first Ugandan to reach the landmark.
Despite the improved bowling display, Uganda once again struggled with the bat on a surface that increasingly favoured spin.
Uganda’s chase got off to a disastrous start as the Cranes slipped to 2/2.
But 18-year-old Gerald Olipa showed remarkable composure, producing a determined 60 off 101 balls, including five fours and a six.
Olipa battled through difficult conditions and anchored Uganda’s innings, giving the Cranes a chance of mounting a recovery before he was dismissed by Mohammad Ghazanfar.
Captain Riazat Ali Shah contributed 22, while Baguma added 17, but the rest of the batting order could not provide enough support.
Uganda were eventually bowled out for 119 in 36.5 overs, handing Hong Kong-China a 51-run victory.
Assistant coach Jackson Ogwang acknowledged that Uganda had again failed to adapt quickly enough to the turning conditions.
“We have to be honest with ourselves. We have not adjusted quickly enough to these wickets, especially when batting. We bowled well, but perhaps not to the level we wanted, and unfortunately we have folded too meekly with the bat,” Ogwang said.
With qualification hopes now hanging in the balance, Ogwang said the message to the team is clear.
“There are no two ways about it. We have to rock up and win our remaining two games. We still want to progress, and that is what we are going to fight for.”
Olipa’s half-century was one of the few positives for Uganda, but the young batter admitted that his dismissal came as a result of a poor decision.
“I felt I was in control, but when the field setting was changed, I lost a bit of focus. I tried a switch hit that was not necessary, and that was a mistake in judgement,” Olipa said.
Despite the setback, the teenager remains confident that Uganda can bounce back.
“We have to take the lessons, especially in how we apply ourselves on these wickets. I know we are a better batting unit than what we have shown, and we have to show that in the next game.”
Uganda’s three-year journey through the Challenge League B cycle has entered its most decisive stage.
Italy and Uganda are both on 20 points, while Hong Kong-China are on 18.
The Cranes remain firmly in contention, but the margin for error has disappeared.
Their remaining fixtures are:
Saturday, August 15
🇺🇬 Uganda vs Singapore
📍 Estim Ground, TCA Arena – UDSM
Tuesday, August 18
🇺🇬 Uganda vs Bahrain
📍 NTS Ground, TCA Arena – UDSM
Singapore are yet to win in the campaign, but Uganda cannot afford to take them lightly.
Two victories would lift the Cranes to 24 points and put them in a much stronger position to advance. Two more defeats, however, could bring their World Cup qualification hopes to an end.
Uganda have already experienced the difficult Dar es Salaam conditions and know what is required.
The challenge now is to turn those lessons into results.
