The quintet of Evelyn Anyipo, Esther Iloku, Sarah Akiteng, Phionah Kulume and Gloria Obukor have been left out of the Victoria Pearls team traveling to Rwanda for the annual Kwibuka Memorial T20 Cup.
The five have been mainstays at the national team and were part of the team that represented Uganda at the recently concluded ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifiers in Abu Dhabi, UAE, but they miss out on the Rwanda trip.
In their places, the technical team has preferred teenagers including Jimia Mohammed, Asumin Akurut , Immaculate Nandera, and Patricia Timong. The quartet turn up for the U19 girl’s team, but have been given a node to not only gain experience, but also prepare them for the upcoming U19 qualifiers.
Jimia who is the captain of the U19 and Nandera have had stints with the national team, but both Timong and Asumin will be debuting for the team.
The Victoria Pearls head into Rwanda seeking to regain supremacy. They won the inaugural edition of this competition in 2014 and added another title in 2016, but since then, they have not been able to lift this trophy.
They were losing finalists last year after they lost the final to the hosts. They will be hoping to regain the bragging rights, but with Zimbabwe among the teams set to compete, it will be a hard paper for the Victoria Pearls.
Zimbabwe will be competing at Kwibuka for the first time. Cameroon and Malawi are the other two sides that will be appearing for the first time.
The usual suspects Kenya who are the record winners, Nigeria and Botswana are all lined up, but Tanzania opted out.
The Victoria Pearls will bowl off their campaign against Botswana on 30th May at the Gahanga Main Oval.
The Traveling Team
Janet Mbabazi (Captain) , Rita Musamali, Consy Aweko, Kevin Awino, Stephanie Nampiina, Immaculate Nakisuyi, Sarah Walaza, Malisa Ariokot, Lorna Anyait, Patricia Timong, Akurut Asumin, Proscovia Alako, Jimia Muhammad, Immaculate Nandera.
https://sportsnation.co.ug/2024/05/28/kwibuka-quintet-out-of-victoria-pearls-squad/
