Afghanistan hand Uganda harsh initiation in World Cup debut

Debutants Uganda have been handed a tough initiation into World Cup cricket, bowled out for 58 by Afghanistan to fall to a 125-run defeat in their first ever match at a senior ICC global event.

After Uganda captain Brian Masaba opted to send Afghanistan in at Providence, Guyana, openers Rahmanullah Gurbaz (76) and Ibrahim Zadran (70) set the tone for the match from the outset with a 154-run opening stand.

Although the innings stumbled in the final overs, the strong first-wicket partnership – the fourth highest for any wicket at a men's T20 World Cup – put Afghanistan on course for 4-183, which was always going to prove a tough ask for the World Cup's first timers.

The contrast between the teams was starkly demonstrated with the second ball of each innings; Gurbaz driving the second ball of the match for a six before teammate Fazalhaq Farooqi upended Ronak Patel's leg stump with the second ball of Uganda’s reply.

Farooqi (5-9 from four overs) took two wickets in consecutive balls in the opening over and narrowly missed his hat-trick as Uganda tumbled to the fourth-lowest total at a men's T20 World Cup.

Skipper Masaba was perhaps hoping an early tournament trend would continue by deciding to field first with chasing teams winning the opening four matches.

However, it wasn't to be, and it took Masaba (2-21) until the 15th over to take Uganda’s first wicket at a T20 World Cup, dismissing Zadran to break Afghanistan's opening stand.

Gurbaz, who hit the boundary four times and cleared it on another four occasions, scored his 76 from 45 balls before he was caught at deep square leg as Afghanistan lost 5-29 in the final six overs.

Any chance that Uganda had was over in the Powerplay, with Farooqi taking two wickets in the first over before Naveen-ul-Haq grabbed another two in the fifth to have the African qualifiers reeling at 5-21 after six overs.

Only two Ugandan batters reached double figures – Riazat Ali Shah (11) and Robinson Obuya (14) – while there were four ducks, including three first ball as Farooqi found himself on another hat-trick in the 13th over as he finished with the fourth best return in men's T20 World Cup history.

Star leg-spinner Rashid Khan finished off the one-sided contest with his own pair of consecutive wickets as Uganda were bowled out in 16 overs.

Afghanistan will face a tougher test in their next match when they take on New Zealand at the same venue on Friday (Saturday morning AEST).

Uganda will be eyeing their first World Cup victory when they play Papua New Guinea, also at Guyana, on Wednesday (Thursday morning AEST).

– with AP.

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