Skies clear at the Lugogo Cricket Oval (photo from Twitter)
Canada’s tournament got off to an excellent start with a 66 run win over hosts Uganda, Canada batted after winning the toss, and the match was reduced to 42 overs/ side due to rain preventing a prompt start. After a good opening, Canada’s innings became becalmed after they lost three wickets in four balls. They were rescued by a brilliant innings of 91 in 44 balls by Rizwan Cheema (the ICC have posted some brief highlights on Facebook), allowing them to post a respectable total of 234/8. A fine opening spell from Cecil Pervez put them in a strong position, and the rest of the bowlers gave little away as Uganda were bowled out for 168. Pervez finished with 4 wickets for 44. Canada now face Oman (who beat USA in their opening match) tomorrow.
Nitish Kumar and Bhavindhu Adhihetty opened the batting for Canada, with the rest of the team being Dhaliwal, Pathirana, Hansra, Rizwan Cheema, Dutta, Hamza Tariq, Saad Bin Zafar, Dhindsa, and Pervez. They got off to a fast start, putting on 32 before Adhihetty was leg before for 12 in the 5th over. Kumar, now batting with Dhaliwal, brought up the half-century in the 10th over with his second six. Dhaliwal struck a couple of boundaries but was struggling to score against the spinners, and was caught off slow left armer Ssenondo for 15 from 31 balls. Kumar had made 43 at a run a ball but was brilliantly run out by Charles Waiswa (ICC video) two balls later, and Jimmy Hansra was leg before first ball. Canada had been in a good position at 74/1 but lost three wickets in 4 balls- 74/4 after 15.1 overs. After the flurry of wickets, Dutta and Pathirana were forced on the defensive and the next five overs yielded only 8 runs . Dutta broke the deadlock with a six but then only three runs came from the next 27 deliveries. Pathirana had made 4 from 33 balls before he broke the shackles with another six, but the 5th wicket fell in the 29th over when Dutta(14) was caught – 104/5, and their 30 run partnership had taken 13.1 overs. This brought in Rizwan Cheema who, as usual, went on the attack. He was dropped at long on when he’d made just three but then took 16 from Ssenyondo’s 8th over- he had bowled his previous 7 for just 20. It took him just 11 balls to overtake Pathirana, who himself took 12 off the 34th over to bring up 150. Cheema’s fifty came up in just 27 balls, and the partnership yielded 105 runs in 10.2 overs before Pathirana was out hit wicket for 35 (72). Rizwan Cheema’s brilliant innings came to an end in the final over, caught in the deep for 91 from 44 balls, three fours and ten sixes (most of them over long-on). Uganda needed 235 to win.
Cecil Pervez made an immediate impact, taking two wickets in his first over, and another in his second to reduce the hosts to 20/3. Like Canada, Uganda had to go on the defensive. Nikhil Dutta broke a steady 49 run partnership in his second over, catching Ukani from his own bowling, then bowled Mukasa in his third – 71/5. The bowlers kept it tight and Uganda started falling well behind the required run rate. Saad Bin Zafar took the 6th wicket with the score on 113 and Uganda needing 10/ over. Mohammed Irfan got off the mark with a six, and after being dropped hit another. Kumar brought back the opening bowlers, as move which was met with success when Cecil Pervez took his fourth wicket. Mohammed Irfan was run out after looking dangerous then Dhindsa administered the coup-de-grace taking the last two wickets in consecutive balls – Canada won by 66 runs. Pervez took 4/44, Dhindsa 2/14 and Dutta bowled 6 overs for 14 runs and two wickets.
Canadian team picture before start of match (photo credit, Uganda Government)
In other matches, USA lost to Oman; USA made 180/7 from their 42 overs and Oman had a comfortable 4 wicket win.
Malaysia were bowled out for 120 by Singapore who passed their total with 7 wickets and 81 balls remaining. 21 year old off-spinner Navin Param took 4/10 and Anish Param made an unbeaten 50 for Singapore.