Uganda’s U19 cricket team, the Baby Cricket Cranes, has missed out on a spot in the ICC U19 Men’s Cricket World Cup after a crucial defeat to Namibia in Lagos, Nigeria. Losing by 67 runs, this marked their third loss of the tournament, officially ending their qualification hopes.
Rain disrupted the match, leading to a revised target of 189 runs for Uganda. Batting first, Namibia posted a total of 135 runs in 36 overs. Tiaan Van Der Merwe anchored the innings with a solid 53 runs, while Francois Du Plessis remained unbeaten on 35, helping his team set a competitive score.
Uganda’s bowler Sohera Richard worked hard, bowling well for 10 overs, but it wasn’t enough to stop Namibia from setting a challenging total.
When it was Uganda’s turn to bat, things went wrong quickly. They managed only 68 runs before all their players were out in 23.5 overs.
Namibia’s bowlers were too good, with Max Heingo taking 3 wickets for 20 runs and Du Plessis grabbing two more. Only Nyiiro Jonathan, with 16 runs, and Ocen Peter, with 12 runs, scored more than 10 for Uganda, showing how tough the day was for the team.
This loss hurts the Baby Cricket Cranes and their fans. The World Cup would have been a huge opportunity for these young players to shine and help cricket grow in Uganda, where the sport is still developing. Missing out means less attention and support for the team’s future.
Now, Uganda has one final game against Nigeria on April 6. Nigeria hasn’t won a match yet, so the Baby Cricket Cranes hope to end their trip with a victory. While a win might lift their spirits, it won’t erase the sadness of missing the World Cup. The team will need to regroup and come back stronger next time.
