Match end result
Scotland 115/9 in 20 overs beat Uganda 100/6 in 20 overs by 15 runs
Uganda’s Victoria Pearls walked onto the sunbaked turf of the TerdThai Cricket Floor in Bangkok with quiet confidence.
If there was ever a day they may beat Scotland—one of many sides they’ve lengthy measured themselves in opposition to—it was at present.
However by sundown, they had been left gazing a 15-run defeat, realizing that they had allowed a treasured alternative for rating factors to slide by way of their fingers.
Scotland, electing to bat first after profitable the toss, discovered Uganda’s bowlers sharper and extra purposeful than anticipated.
Kevin Amuge opened with self-discipline and despatched early stress to Scotland.
Consy Aweko struck early within the second, bowling out Alisa Lister, and when Amuge adopted with a decent two-run third over, the Pearls started to consider.
By the point Scotland crawled to 35/2, Uganda had management—but management in cricket is fragile.
A painful second got here when Stephanie Nampiina injured herself trying a determined save on the boundary, briefly leaving Uganda unsettled.
Although she later returned, Scotland used that passage to regroup.
At 62/3 after 10 overs, they appeared contained, however the subsequent 5 overs noticed them surge to 103/3, aided by a missed Ugandan runouts and misfields that ran 4 and later needed to hang-out the Pearls.
Then got here a spark, Janet Mbabazi, fierce and composed, dismantled Scotland’s center order within the sixteenth over, taking two wickets and galvanizing a pointy runout.
Uganda instantly roared again, with Malisa Ariokot and Immaculate Nakisuuyi including extra breakthroughs.
Scotland stumbled to 115/9, Darcey Carter’s affected person 54 and Megan McColl’s 32 carrying them to respectability. Mbabazi’s 3/17 in three overs shone brilliant.
However batting—batting required nerve.
And Uganda started with a wobble when Mbabazi fell LBW to the second ball of the chase. But Esther Iloku and Immaculate Nakisuuyi steadied issues superbly, guiding the facet to 58/1 on the midway mark.
At that time, the chase felt not solely attainable however possible.
The turning level got here in small moments, Iloku’s dismissal for twenty-four at backward level, Nakisuuyi falling for a well-crafted 36 at long-on, and—critically—a lack of intent simply when acceleration was wanted. Uganda required 32 off 25 balls with six wickets in hand, however hesitation crept in.
The ultimate over started with what felt like a distant 21 wanted; the Pearls managed solely to trim the margin of defeat.
As they walked off, the lesson was clear: misfields, missed runouts, misdirected throws, and a timid chase had price them and the one optimistic for Uganda was crossing 100 runs in opposition to Scotland.
Tournaments reward resilience, and tomorrow Uganda can rewrite the script in opposition to Namibia—in the event that they confront the small moments that determine massive matches. Namibia fell to Tanzania earlier, whereas Thailand beat the Netherlands and UAE defeated PNG.
Uganda Enjoying XI
Janet Mbabazi (c), Esther Iloku, Consylate Aweko, Rita Musamali, Immaculate Nakisuuyi, Kevin Awino (wk), Malisa Ariokot, Akiteng Sarah, Proscovia Alako, Stephanie Nampiina, Kevin Amuge
Scotland enjoying XI
Sarah Bryce (c, wk), Olivia Bell, Darcey Carter, Ailsa Lister, Megan McColl, Chloe Abel, Rachel Slater, Abtaha Maqsood, Mollie Parker, Priyanaz Chatterji, Ellen Watson
