Cricket: Uganda wins Africa T20 Cup

The Uganda Cricket team has won the African Cricket Association (ACA) T20 Cup in Benoni, South Africa.

Having been placed in Group A alongside Botswana, Mozambique, and Ghana with the tournament played in the T20 format and all games hosted at Wilmore Park in Benoni, the Cricket Cranes beat all opponents in the group before meeting rivals and fellow East African team, Kenya in a rain-affected semifinal.

The Cricket Cranes won by three wickets in a tense game in South Africa before setting up a final with neighbours Tanzania.

In the final, Tanzania posted 174/5 in their 20 overs and Uganda seemed to be out of their depth until the final four overs where Riazat Ali Shah took center stage with a counter-attacking stroke play that saw Uganda chase down the total with two balls to spare.

Uganda beat Tanzania by eight wickets in a match that produced a thrilling climax thanks to an unbeaten 147-run stand for the third wicket.

This ensured Uganda won its fifth trophy in two years.

Currently ranked 25th in the world, Uganda will move up in the global T20 rankings after picking up some valuable points from the tournament in South Africa.