By Aamani Dhingra, FutureShaper Intern
April 28th, 2024

Abu Dhabi, UAE: The USA and Uganda Women’s Cricket Teams faced each other for the first time in history at the 2024 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifiers. This match marked USA’s first game of the tournament, while Uganda had previously played against Scotland, resulting in a loss. Both teams were looking to move up the points table, but ultimately Uganda emerged victorious, winning by 8 wickets. Immaculate Nakisuuyi’s unbeaten 68 runs sealed the victory for Uganda and earned her the player of the match award.

USA won the toss and elected to bat first. Opening pair Disha Dhingra and Anika Kolan hoped to build a solid foundation for the team’s innings. However, Kolan’s departure in the fifth over, having scored just eight runs, marked an early setback for USA. Dhingra showed promise, contributing 25 runs, featuring two fours before her dismissal in the eighth over. Following Kolan and Dhingra’s dismissals, Ritu Singh and captain Sindhu Sriharsha’s 40-run partnership helped propel the innings. Uganda’s fielding was marked by numerous misfields and two missed run-out chances, granting USA additional opportunities to score. Despite Sriharsha’s 26-run contribution, followed by Gargi Bhogle’s 19 runs, USA struggled to accelerate, finishing the innings with a total of 110 runs.

Uganda’s innings began with Prosscovia Alako and Immaculate Nakisuuyi as the opening pair. Alako was dismissed without scoring in the very first over, followed by Esther Iloku’s departure in the fifth over. USA was off to a promising start, limiting Uganda to just 13 runs in the powerplay and prompting Nakissuuyi and Stephani Nampiina to accelerate the run rate. However, Nakisuuyi was dropped in the eighth over, which proved costly for USA, as her and Nampiina’s 105-run partnership secured Uganda’s win. USA managed to keep Uganda at 34/2 in 10 overs, but bowlers began to leak runs, which was made worse by bad fielding. Nakisuuyi’s unbeaten 68 runs, which included seven fours and one six, along with Nampiina’s unbeaten 33, featuring four fours, anchored Uganda’s innings, ultimately leading them to victory.

During the post-match presentation, USA captain, Sindhu Sriharsha, acknowledged that “all three of our departments were not up to the mark.” She emphasized the importance of regrouping and reassessing and expressed optimism for improved performances in upcoming matches.

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ABOUT USA CRICKET
USA Cricket is the National Federation for Cricket in the United States, as recognized by the International Cricket Council. USA Cricket’s mission is to govern, regulate, develop, and promote all forms of cricket at all levels in the United States and to enable U.S. cricketers to achieve sustained competitive excellence and successfully compete in national and international competition. Through a diverse Board of Directors that has representation from most cricket stakeholder groups, USA Cricket will lead the sport to new heights by creating and administering value-added programs to grow and develop the sport.

Photo Credit: ICC