Uganda dance their way to historic first-ever T20 World Cup qualification

Uganda reached their first-ever senior men's World Cup after beating Rwanda and finishing in the top two of the ICC Africa T20 World Cup 2023 qualifiers

It was a historic day at the Wanderers Cricket Ground in Windhoek, Namibia as the cricketing cranes Uganda danced in jubilation after beating Rwanda at the ICC T20 World Cup Africa qualifiers 2023. They just couldn’t stop the celebrations as travelling fans from Kampla joined them. It was all because they had created history by becoming the second team to book a berth at the T20 World Cup 2024 in the West Indies and the USA. 

One for the history books 
Uganda are going to their first-ever ICC World Cup! They qualify for the 2024 T20 World Cup along with Namibia. 
.
.#T20WorldCup2024 pic.twitter.com/M4kZVhEhU6

— FanCode (@FanCode) November 30, 2023

The dwindling stocks of Zimbabwe Cricket

 

Courtesy of their win, the Ugandans also blocked away Zimbabwe’s chance of reaching the T20 World Cup for the first time since the inaugural tournament in 2007. Though Zimbabwe missed playing in the 2009 and 2021 tournaments, it was due to political interference in cricket back home and not because they lost in the qualifiers. 

Thus, this marks the first time when the Chevrons have failed to qualify for the T20 World Cup, This is a big heartbreak for the fans of the Sikandar Raza-led team as they failed to secure a berth in the recently concluded ODI World Cup as well, losing in the qualifiers to Scotland, after dominating the group stage. They then lost a five-match T20I series 2-3 to Namibia ahead of the T20 World Cup qualifiers as well. 

Being a permanent member of ICC, the last two results have been shocking for the Zimbabwean unit. 

Rise of the cricketing cranes 

On the other hand, the Uganda cricket team, popularly known as the Cranes have on the rise ever since gaining associate member status in 1998. In 2007, they beat Kenya in a preparatory four-nation tournament ahead of the T20 World Cup 2007. 

Since then they climbed up the ladder quickly and entered the T20 World Cup qualifiers in 2013 for the first time. The 10-year wait since then finally culminated in their first-ever T20 World Cup qualification in 2023. 

How did Uganda fare in the T20 World Cup Qualifiers?

Celebrations just got started!
T20 World Cup-bound Uganda once again took the famous nursery school rhyme to the global audience.

Ekibobo kili mu nyumba led by coach @OgwangOyuku - Indeed the boys got the big basket in the house.#CricketCranesInColour #Twaake @PlasconUganda pic.twitter.com/V9ySSE4PKs

— Uganda Cricket Association (@CricketUganda) November 30, 2023

Africa were allotted two slots in the qualification for the World Cup. Zimbabwe and Namibia, who have played the T20 World Cup were the favourites to go through, however, Uganda broke Zimbabwean dreams by beating them by five wickets and then went on to win four of their remaining five matches. They lost only to Namibia which remained unbeaten throughout the tournament. 

For Zimbabwe to qualify, after they lost to Namibia and Uganda, the road got tougher. They needed Uganada to lose one of their remaining two games against Kenya and Rwanda, however, the Cranes were set on reaching the World Cup, and they did it eventually.