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Kenya eyes flying start against Uganda in Accra
Kenya captain Rakep Patel (right) plays a delivery away from Rwanda's wicketkeeper Ndikubwimana Didier during Continent Cup Twenty20 International (T20I) Africa competition at Nairobi Gymkhana on June 17, 2023.
What you need to know:
- Kenya’s target in the competition is to seal a final berth--a task, which promises to be tough since only the top two teams in the pools will progress to the semi-finals
- Patel added that with the wickets in Accra expected to be slow, they will target posting about 150 runs and defend it by restricting the opponents well
Kenya will face a tough test against Uganda on Sunday, as they seek to make a perfect start to their campaign in men’s cricket in the African Games in Accra, Ghana.
The Group 'A' match will bowl off at 1:50pm local time (4:50pm Kenyan time) at the Achimota Senior Secondary School B Field.
It is among the four duels lined up for the opening day of men’s cricket in the 13th edition of the multi-sport championship.
Earlier at the Achimota Senior Secondary School B Field, Nigeria will face Tanzania in a Group 'A' contest.
At the Achimota Senior Secondary School A Field, Namibia will clash with Zimbabwe in a Group 'B' match that promises to be explosive, before hosts Ghana square it out with South Africa in the other Group 'A' contest.
Kenya’s target in the competition is to seal a final berth--a task, which promises to be tough since only the top two teams in the pools will progress to the semi-finals. Top ranked South Africa and Uganda are the favourites in Group 'A'.
“It (Uganda’s recent dominance over Kenya) is because they have been preparing well and playing good cricket. We have also prepared well and now it is just about playing well and avoiding mistakes,” said Kenya’s captain Rakep Patel.
He added that with the wickets in Accra expected to be slow, they will target posting about 150 runs and defend it by restricting the opponents well.
Last year, Uganda beat Kenya in five out of six meetings.
Uganda thrashed Kenya by 91 runs in the 2023 Africa Cricket Association T2 Cup final held at Willmore Park in Benoni, Gauteng South Africa in December.
Earlier in November, the Cricket Cranes defeated Kenya by 33 runs in the 2024 International Cricket Council Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Regional Qualifiers held in Windhoek, Namibia.
Uganda are favourites heading into the match since they have been playing several top matches, as part of their preparation for their maiden World Cup appearance in the United States and West Indies from June 1 to 29.
In January, the team pitched camp for 12 days at Omtex ICWC Institute in Saphale Maharashtra, India for a high performance training.
Kenya will be hoping that the return of a fully-fit Rakep in the squad will help them avenge their recent losses to Uganda. Rakep has been nursing a four-month ankle injury, which he picked up in the World Cup qualifiers in Windhoek.
Kenya’s assistant coach Joseph Angara said: “It is good we are starting with Uganda. We want to quickly get off that game and get the pressure on. We are better than we were in Namibia and South Africa.”
Sunday’s fixture
Achimota Senior Secondary School A Field
Namibia v Zimbabwe
Ghana v South Africa
Achimota Senior Secondary School B Field
Nigeria v Tanzania
Kenya v Uganda
