By 
Result
Victoria Pearls 72 all out in 20 overs
Lady Chevrons 75/6 in 19.4 overs
Lady Chevrons won by 4 wickets
In the enthralling encounter between Uganda’s Victoria Pearls and Zimbabwe’s Lady Chevrons at the All Africa Games at Achimota A cricket oval, the latter emerged victorious, clinching a hard-fought win by four wickets with just two balls to spare.
The game unfolded with Zimbabwe winning the toss and choosing to bowl first, setting the stage for an intense battle at the crease.
Uganda faced an early setback as Gloria Obukor departed at the end of the third over, caught by Chiyedza Teresia Dhururu off Nomvelo Sibanda’s delivery.
Moments of brilliance ensued, including a spectacular diving catch by Nomvelo Sibanda to dismiss Janet Mbabazi.
Josephine Nkomo’s exceptional bowling created problems for the Ugandan team by taking important wickets, including those of Stephanie Nampiina and Kevin Awino in the same over.
Josephine Nkomo while bowling to the Victoria Pearls’ batters
This remarkable performance occurred in the 17th over, resulting in a wicket maiden.
As the innings progressed, the pearls struggled to find momentum, eventually being bundled out for 72 runs in 20 overs, with Lorna Anyait falling prey to Precious Marange on the final delivery of Uganda’s innings.
Immaculate Nakisuyi top-scored with 17 runs off 40 balls, followed by Rita Musamali with 13 off 20, while other batters failed to reach double figures.
Immaculate Nakisuyi while batting for the Victoria Pearls
Despite their modest total, Uganda managed to keep the game alive until the final over of the second innings.
Rita Musamali shone for the Victoria Pearls with an economy of 2.5, claiming two crucial wickets alongside Janet Mbabazi and Immaculate Nakisuyi.
However, their efforts fell short, unable to secure a second victory in the tournament.
Josephine Nkomo deservedly earned the player of the match accolade for her outstanding bowling figures of 3/9 in four overs.
Uganda’s defeat can be attributed to a sluggish start in batting, with a cautious approach yielding only 23/1 after the powerplay.
Additionally, batting first after losing the toss pushed them out of their comfort zone of chasing, further complicating their strategy.
After the loss, Uganda finds itself in a challenging situation, requiring a win against Rwanda in their final group stage match to maintain hopes of reaching the semifinals.
They also depend on Zimbabwe defeating Kenya.
Currently, Zimbabwe leads the table, followed by Kenya, Uganda, and Rwanda, who are yet to secure a win in the campaign.
Coaches Lawrence Ssematimba and Deus Muhumuza of the Victoria Pearls attribute the team’s loss to a failure in applying batting skills.
However, they view every ball as a learning opportunity and aim to regroup for a stronger performance against Rwanda in the last group game on Sunday.
With a day of rest ahead, Uganda must regather their strength to face Rwanda, aiming to bounce back from their setback and keep their tournament hopes alive.
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