The shocking decline of Uganda's best batsman Roger Mukasa

 

 

If there were any lingering doubts about the painful decline of Uganda's best batsman for the last decade, the just-concluded ICC T20 World Africa Final put them to bed.

 

Mukasa averaged 7.75 runs in four outings as Uganda finished fourth - a spot behind Nigeria - and missed out on qualification to the World Qualifier in the UAE. In the regional qualifier that led up to this tournament, Mukasa averaged 23.5 runs in six engagements, which looks better until you consider that he played against Rwanda and Tanzania twice.

 

When the scope is expanded to include his performance in one-day games, the results are no better. He averaged 14. 4 runs in six matches at the 2015 ICC World Cricket League Division 2 in Namibia, 24.4 runs at the ill-fated 2017 ICC World Cricket Division 3 event in Uganda and 22.2 runs at the 2018 ICC World Cricket League Division 4 in Malaysia.

 

Mukasa is such a likable person that his decline seems unfair. He is the one player everybody wants to do well, which explains why his criticism has been very hushed even when the numbers have spoken loudly for long. He was humble in his heyday and is still warm despite the abdication of his powers.

 

Yet his popularity is not what complicates Mukasa's deterioration the most. It is his talent.

 

A batsman of Mukasa's natural ability is not supposed to be finished at 29. He should, in fact, be at his peak.

 

"I do feel for him because he is not short of talent," observed Davis Karashani, who captained Uganda for most of Mukasa's international career.

 

"Knowing him well I know he is the most disturbed about his performances and I really feel for him because his numbers are not a reflection of the level of his talent."

 

Karashani explained that several coaches have told Uganda players that it ultimately comes down to them.

 

"Even if you brought the 12 disciples and they broke down what is wrong with our game, it ultimately depends on whether a player is ready to listen and prepared to work hard to help his game.

 

"International cricket is a very lonely place and it does not depend on talent anymore. You must be mentally strong and prepared to play at that level. You're going up against the best of every country and you must do everything you can to be ready for the competition."

 

Karashani further noted, "Being Uganda's first fulltime batsman in a long time has probably affected his game because a bowling captain does not have the same pressure as a batting captain.

 

"As a bowler, when I captain, I only had 60 balls to make an impact but for a batsman the pressure to deliver is much higher because if you're not scoring runs it is hard to motivate your team."