Brian Masaba will captain Uganda at the 2024 Men's T20 World Cup in the USA and the West Indies, their first appearance at an ICC Senior Men's World Cup in any format.
Masaba leads a 15-man squad that includes 43-year-old off-spinning all-rounder Frank Nsubuga, who will be the oldest player in the tournament ahead of Oman's Mohammad Nadeem and Naseem Khushi, who are both 41. Riazat Ali Shah, who was born in Gilgit in Pakistan and moved to Uganda at the age of 16, has been named vice-captain, while Ronald Lutaaya and Innocent Mwebaze are the two travelling reserves.
Uganda haы made five changes to the 17-man squad that saw them through to the T20 World Cup from last year's African qualifiers. Wicketkeeper-batsman Cyrus Kakuru, seamer David Wabwire, opener Pascal Murungi and experienced left-armer Jonathan Ssebanja have all been omitted, while Lutaaya is in the reserves. Fred Achelam, who was Uganda's wicketkeeper at the Africa Games in Ghana earlier this year, will take the gloves while all-rounder Juma Miyagi and medium-pacer Cosmas Kyewuta have also been included. The selections are a reward for the members of the team that reached the semi-finals of the African Games, where they were beaten by Namibia.
Ugandans dominated the run and wicket charts at the tournament with three of the top five run-scorers - Roger Mukasa, Simon Ssesazi and Dinesh Nakrani - and two of the top three wicket-takers - Alpesh Ramjani and Miyagi - coming from their camp. Robinson Obuya, who is also in the T20 World Cup squad, had the highest strike rate of 190.90, albeit from just two innings. Simon Ssezazi is also Uganda's all-time leading T20I run scorer and the only batsman from his country to have scored more than 2000 T20I runs, while his brother, left-arm spinner Henry Ssesyondo, is their leading wicket-taker in the format and is six away from becoming the first Ugandan to take 100 T20I wickets.
Uganda travel to the T20 World Cup under a new coach, Abhay Sharma, a former Indian first-class cricketer and fielding coach of India's Under-19, A and women's teams. He joined them for training in Uganda last month. The team is currently in Sri Lanka for a two-week training camp, including matches against the Sri Lanka A and Army sides, in preparation for their biggest assignment yet.
Uganda are in Group C of the T20 World Cup along with Afghanistan, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and West Indies and will play their first match against Afghanistan in Providence, Guyana on June 4.
Uganda squad for 2024 T20 World Cup:
Brian Masaba, Riazat Ali Shah, Kenneth Waiswa, Dinesh Nakrani, Frank Nsubuga, Ronak Patel, Roger Mukasa, Cosmas Kyewuta, Bilal Hassun, Fred Achelam, Robinson Obuya, Simon Ssesazi, Henry Ssenyondo, Alpesh Ramjani, Juma Miyaji
Reserve players:
Ronald Lutaaya, Innocent Mwebaze