Cricket Cranes eye perfect record ahead of Africa Continental Cup final
The tournament has also seen Simon Ssesazi score 85, something that would have delighted Sharma, who dropped the opening batsman for last month’s Challenge League due to an extended run of poor form.
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NewVision Reporter
@NewVision
Africa Continental Cup
Today
Nigeria v Uganda (2:15pm)
Uganda’s place in the final of the Africa Continental Cup is guaranteed.
A perfect record isn’t.
With two group games before Saturday’s final, Abhay Sharma’s Cricket Cranes are in the envious position of fine-tuning a formula that has displayed few weaknesses, producing six wins in six.
But a defeat before the final, say today against Nigeria, could complicate the rest of the tournament for the Cricket Cranes. Nigeria were able to score 133 runs when they faced Uganda four days ago, which, though unable to save them from defeat, suggested they have potential to cause an upset.
It would be a massive upset, though, because Uganda are so far ahead of the other three sides at the tournament. And the idea of completing the tournament with a 9-0 record should supply extra motivation for Riazat Shah’s men, who began their qualification cycle for the 2027 World Cup with an unbeaten run through the first leg of the Cricket World Cup Challenge League B.
Winning the Continental Cup in Rwanda is a buildup for the second leg of the Challenge League, with Sharma not only reaping the benefit of keeping his charges busy, but also making discoveries about them and what combinations are effective in particular circumstances.
The tournament has also seen Simon Ssesazi score 85, something that would have delighted Sharma, who dropped the opening batsman for last month’s Challenge League due to an extended run of poor form.
The restoration of Ssesazi’s confidence could unlock the flow of runs and put the talented opener back in contention for selection for the second leg of the Challenge League.