Details of the match
Uganda vs. Afghanistan: Provide, 7.30 p.m. local
Uganda has had a difficult journey to the T20 World Cup 2024, but they deserve to be here and now have the opportunity to leave a lasting impression.
However, while attempting to ease into the top flight, these are not the kind of opponents you want to face. Afghanistan is a talented and ambitious side that placed sixth in the 2023 ODI World Cup. With an incredible run of victories over England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and the Netherlands, they might have ended higher if it weren’t for Glenn Maxwell’s performance of a lifetime.
Afghanistan would like to progress out of their group and into the Super Eight, but with co-hosts West Indies and New Zealand also in the same group, they may have to settle with a quick victory against Uganda in the opening match of 2018 World Cup, followed by Papua New Guinea, the Associates. Not to mention the shocks PNG threatened to cause against the West Indies.
They will be counting on Ibrahim Zadran and Rahmanullah Gurbaz to get them off to a fast start. Their spin assault is among the most potent in T20I with to the combination of captain Rashid Khan, Mohammad Nabi, and Mujeeb Ur Rahman. Proven T20 quicks Fazalhaq Farooqi and Naveen-ul-Haq are accompanied by growing talent in all-rounder Azmatullah Omarzai. This team has a lot of T20 experience.
Afghanistan’s hitters, meanwhile, will need to exercise caution when facing Uganda, who field up to three left-arm fingerspinners. None of the batters that are expected to start, save for Najibullah Zadran, are left-handers. Uganda, on the other hand, bowls with considerable diversity, so opponents need to be wary.
They defeated Zimbabwe by five wickets in the Africa qualifiers to earn a spot in the World Cup. Their aspirations have been raised by their first victory over a Full Member team. They will rely on their regular performers, left-arm spinner Henry Ssenyondo, all-rounders Riazat Ali Shah and Alpesh Ramjani, and hitter Roger Mukasa.
Despite the distance separating the two sides, the fight may turn out to be intriguing. And Uganda could review this 2009 game if they’d like some historical inspiration.