Tanzania’s opening batting pair of Fatuma Omary Kibasu and Saum Godfrey Mtae ran explosive as Tanzania chased down a 138 run score set by UAE in the morning game played at the Lugogo Cricket Oval.
UAE had the East Africans look very ordinary in their innings, with their captain Chaya Mughal (30), Kavisha Kumar (44), Mohana Sharma (22), and Rohit Oza (14) leading the way for the Arabians, but by the time the Tanzanians took to the field to bat, Chaya and her team had no idea what had hit them.
The chorus from the spectators was that Uganda’s neighbors from the South were not going to succeed in the chasing; Kibasu however, who captains the East African nation and her opening partner had very different ideas. The pair put on board a combined 72 runs.
By the time Kibasu was bowled out in the 9th Over, the score was reading 67 runs needed from 67 balls. On came Shufaa Hamza
Mohamedi, and UAE dragged the game to their favour! The Tanzanian vice captain was sent back to spectating after facing just four balls and scoring as many runs.
It was a very welcome wicket for UAE, but, Saum was still on the crease, and when she was joined by Huda Mrisho Omary, the game swung back to Tanzania’s favour.
Even when Saum who won the Player of the Match accolade for her 40 runs was dismissed in the 14th Over, Mrisho (27) and Neema Justine Pius (20) stayed put to put the game to bed with 2.1 Overs to spare.
UAE have in this tournament shown they are a terrific fielding team. Against Tanzania, Teertha Satish saved a clean 4 from cow corner, but Tanzania were too explosive for them to handle.
In the end, they lost by 7 wickets, their first loss of the tournament. Tanzania meanwhile were playing their first game, and it is one that gave them a perfect start.
An East African derby between Kenya and Rwanda – who both lost their opening games- awaits, but by the time of this report, the game’s possibility of happening was unsure due to the afternoon showers.
