In a dramatic turn of events at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Region Qualifiers, Uganda secured a historic victory, led by the standout performance of 25-year-old Riazat Ali Shah. Born in Gilgit, Pakistan, Shah played a crucial role as a batter in Uganda’s remarkable win against Zimbabwe.
In the 11th match of the qualifiers, Zimbabwe set the stage by batting first and posting a total of 136 runs. Sikandar Raza was the leading run-scorer for Zimbabwe with an impressive 48 runs, but Uganda’s Dinesh Nakrani emerged as a key bowler, taking three crucial wickets.
Uganda faced an early setback in their run chase, finding themselves at 12/2. However, they mounted a strong comeback, ultimately securing the victory with five balls to spare. Riazat Ali Shah played a pivotal role in Uganda’s batting innings, contributing a well-played 42 runs off just 28 deliveries.
Having participated in over 50 T20 international matches for Uganda, Riazat Ali Shah showcased his experience and skill on the field. This historic win marked Uganda’s first-ever victory against a Test-playing nation in international cricket, and notably, it was their first encounter against a Test-playing nation.
Despite Zimbabwe’s loss, they currently hold the fourth position in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Region Qualifiers standings. Out of the three matches played, Zimbabwe secured victory in only one, suffering defeats to Namibia and Uganda.
Namibia and Kenya occupy the top two positions in the table, having won all three of their matches. Uganda, with two victories in three matches, is in the third position.
As the Africa Region Qualifiers group stage progresses until November 30, 2023, the top two teams will advance to the World T20 2024. Zimbabwe now faces a challenging situation, needing to win every remaining match to stay in contention. After failing to qualify for the ODI World Cup 2023, missing out on the 20-team World T20 2024 would further dampen their international cricket aspirations.
