The Ugandan team has qualified for the T20 World Cup cricket tournament for the first time, marking a historic milestone. Juma Miyagi, a fast bowler on the Ugandan team, has had an arduous journey. Rising from the slums, Miyagi earned his place in the squad with his exceptional fast bowling and is now poised to make an impact in the World Cup.
This is the first time Uganda will participate in the T20 World Cup. The team secured their spot in November last year. Miyagi, who spent his childhood in the slums of Kampala, Uganda’s capital, is a beacon of hope for many. Approximately 60 per cent of Kampala’s population resides in slums, and Miyagi’s journey serves as an inspiration to them.
Because of Miyagi, residents who were traditionally more interested in football have developed an interest in cricket. The debut of the Ugandan cricket team in the T20 World Cup is a dream come true for them. Miyagi, who grew up in the Naguru slum on the outskirts of Kampala, played for Uganda’s Under-19 team for two years. He will now lead the senior team’s bowling attack in the T20 World Cup, which will be held in the West Indies and the United States starting June 1.
Miyagi’s Impressive Record Uganda’s qualification for the Cricket World Cup last November was a significant achievement. Miyagi has taken 34 wickets in 21 T20 matches. Despite his success, he continues to live in the slum with his family. T20 World Cup qualifier Simon Sesaji and reserve player Innocent Mwebaze also hail from the slums, areas that lack clean drinking water, sewage systems, and health facilities. The story of their struggles has even impressed Uganda’s Indian coach, Abhay Sharma. Sharma has been working with the team in preparation for the T20 World Cup.
Kampala’s Slums vs. Mumbai’s Dharavi Abhay Sharma, who is familiar with Mumbai’s Dharavi, noted that Kampala’s slums present different challenges. After spending time with the players, Sharma’s respect for them grew. He told PTI from Trinidad, “I didn’t think they were living in such a situation. They have a lot of respect for their coaches and believe we can change their lives.”
Need for Infrastructure Improvement Coach Abhay Sharma emphasized the need for changes in Ugandan cricket to prevent the team from facing the same fate as Kenya, which has not played in an ICC tournament since 2011. Sharma said, “The experience so far has been good. Some things have to change. We need to improve the infrastructure and start playing at the under-16 level.”
