T20 World Cup 2024 has begun, and this is the biggest ever edition of the mega event featuring 20 teams. The African region Qualifiers saw a major surprise as Uganda sprung a surprise and beat Zimbabwe to secure a place in the mega event.
Uganda are playing the mega event for the first time ever, and they started their campaign with a disappointing defeat at the hands of Afghanistan earlier today. With three more matches to go in the group stage, the debutants will be keen to perform better in the upcoming matches.
The sport of cricket is new in this region of Africa, which is why the home-grown talent is not that much. A couple of cricketers born in Pakistan are also donning the yellow jersey for the debutants. Here’s a list of the two names.
1. Riazat Ali Shah is vice-captain of Uganda in T20 World Cup 2024
Born in Gilgit, batting all-rounder Riazat Ali Shah is the deputy skipper of the debutants in this year’s T20 World Cup. He has played 50 T20I innings so far, aggregating 1,223 runs, with his highest score being 98*. He can also bowl right-arm medium pace, and so far, he has scalped 40 wickets.
If Riazat can impress in the T20 World Cup while playing for Uganda, he can probably earn contracts from the different franchises participating in leagues across the globe.
2. Bilal Hassan
Bilal Hassan is one of the main fast bowlers of the Uganda team in this year’s T20 World Cup. He was born in Mandi Bahauddin region of Punjab in Pakistan. The 34-year-old bowls right-arm medium pace. Thus far in his T20I career, he has accounted for 65 wickets in 44 innings.
Hassan’s best figures in the shortest format of the game are 4/17, which show that once he gets his line and length right, the batters fail to tackle him well.
