Veteran offspinner Frank ‘Franco’ Nsubuga continues to defy odds after he was included in the Uganda squad to Kigali for the ICC Men’s T20 Sub regional World Cup qualifier Group A due October 14-23.
Nsubuga has played for the national team since around 1997 when he was still a teenager and his experience will be of great value as Uganda start a long walk to the T20 World Cup in Australia next year.
He returns to the fold after missing the Pearl of Africa T20 Series last month at the lakeside Entebbe Oval.
Opening bowler Richard Agamire has also made the team while Arnold Otwani and Charles Waiswa have been dropped.
Captain Brian Masaba remains sidelined due to an injury, and Right-arm medium bowler Deus Muhumuza will continue to deputize.
Uganda are buoyed by their T20 series win where they topped Nigeria and Kenya.
“We have had more internal games since then, we have been in camp and the boys are in good state and ready to go,” said captain Muhumuza.
Uganda will face off with Ghana, Rwanda, Lesotho Malawi, Eswatini and Seychelles in Group A where only the top team will make it to the African region final.
Pool B, due in November, has Botswana, Cameroon, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Tanzania.
The two group winners (A and B) will join already qualified Nigeria and Kenya in the Africa Regional final (November 15-21) where the overall winner qualifies to the Global Qualifiers.
The Cricket Cranes will leave for Kigali on Wednesday less than a week after the junior side (Baby Cricket Cranes) secured their place at the U19 Cricket World Cup.
Cricket Cranes squad
The Players: Deus Muhumuza (Captain), Ronak Patel, Simon Ssesazi, Dinesh Nakrani, Frank Akankwasa, Riazat Ali Shah, Kenneth Waiswa, Bilal Hassun, Frank Nsubuga, Saud Islam, Charles Waiswa, Henry Ssenyondo, Fred Achelam (wicket-keeper) Gerald Mubiru
The Reserves – Arnold Otwani, Jonathan Ssebanja, Cosmas Kyewuta, Richard Agamire
The Officials – Laurence Mahatlane (Coach), Jackson Ogwang (Assistant Coach), Shamim Nassali (Physiotherapist), Alvin Bagaya (Analyst), Innocent Ndawula (Media Manager) Jackson Kavuma (Team Manager).
