Mbabazi’s all-round brilliance guides Uganda to narrow win over PNG

Janet Mbabazi led from the front with a stellar all-round performance, guiding Uganda’s Victoria Pearls to a thrilling 4-run win over Papua New Guinea at the Emerging Nations Cup in Thailand.

Mbabazi, who remained unbeaten on 60, set the platform for Uganda’s 117/4 with a 49-run partnership with Immaculate Nakisuyi (20). In response, PNG struggled to chase down the target, finishing on 113/7.

Uganda’s bowlers had the upper hand in the early stages, restricting PNG to 51/2 after 11 overs.

However, a change in approach saw PNG level the contest, with the Ugandans conceding 16 runs off Consy Aweko’s third over and 14 runs off Malisa Ariokot’s third over.

With 25 runs needed off 24 balls, the game seemed to be slipping away from Uganda.

But Kevin Amuge and Malisa Ariokot’s tidy bowling turned the tide, and Mbabazi’s nerve held strong in the final over, securing a narrow win for her team.

Uganda nearly gave away a game that they dominated after putting themselves in a pressure situation with some untidy bowling and poor fielding, giving PNG a look in.

The win is a welcome boost for Uganda, earning them precious ranking points and momentum heading into their remaining matches against UAE, Tanzania, Netherlands, and Thailand.