Uganda completed a perfect ICC Men’s U19 World Cup qualification campaign after defeating Rwanda by six wickets in the final at Gahanga Main Oval on Saturday, 15 August. The victory saw Uganda finish top of Division Two with five wins from five matches. Chasing Rwanda’s modest total of 89 all out in 28.4 overs, Uganda reached 90 for four in just 18.5 overs to complete a dominant campaign. Devanshkumar Ritesh Patel top-scored for Uganda with 27 off 30 balls, while Abraiz Mir Ali contributed 25 from 44 deliveries. Uganda’s bowling attack had earlier restricted Rwanda to a low total, with Jackson Asiku returning impressive figures of 9 overs for 23 runs. For Rwanda, Fabrice Kwizera was the leading scorer with 26 off 44 balls, while Jean Paul Rukundo claimed two wickets for 23 runs. The two sides reached 50 runs at different stages of their innings. Rwanda took 13.2 overs to reach the mark, with 13 extras contributing to their total, while Uganda got there in only 11.4 overs, with seven extras. The victory gave Uganda a perfect 10 points from five matches, confirming them as Division Two champions and securing promotion to Division One. Uganda wanted more than just qualification Uganda captain Daniel Rubankene said the team arrived in Rwanda determined not only to qualify but also to win the tournament. “We shouldn't be playing in Division Two; it was just bad luck. The guys went to Nigeria and had some bad luck. Now we've promoted our team from Division Two to Division One.” Uganda had already secured qualification before the final, but Rubankene said winning the last match remained important. “It was important to finish this tournament and win it. Our goal was to win Division Two, to win the trophy, and to become Division Two champions.” He attributed Uganda’s success to unity and teamwork. “There was a very big difference between Uganda and the other teams. We all gave our best; we play like a family. That's why we're champions. We play as a team, we're united.” Rwanda grabs third place Despite losing the final, Rwanda achieved their primary objective by securing qualification for Division One. The hosts finished third with six points from five matches, behind leaders Uganda and second-placed Nigeria. Emmanuel Byiringiro, the General Manager of the Rwanda Cricket Association, said the federation was satisfied with both the tournament organisation and Rwanda’s performance. “Our goal was to qualify, and the team has qualified. This is positive,” he said. He said the qualification was evidence that Rwanda’s youth development programmes are beginning to produce results. “It shows that everything we're doing is working, especially in our development programmes. We play all the stages in the Under-15 and Under-13 competitions. This shows that they are working.” Kenneth Boniface the MVP Uganda’s dominance was also reflected in the individual awards. Uganda’s Kenneth Boniface was named the tournament’s Most Valuable Player (MVP), finishing with 45.716 points. His total comprised 15.304 batting points, 27.512 bowling points and 2.900 fielding points, putting him ahead of teammate Richard Sohera, who finished with 42.534 points. Boniface’s all-round contribution proved crucial to Uganda’s perfect campaign, with his performances helping the team remain unbeaten throughout the tournament. Robert Owili finished as Uganda’s leading batter, scoring 234 runs at an average of 46.80 and a strike rate of 80.14. Ghana’s Stanley Carson was among the tournament’s leading bowlers, finishing with five wickets at an economy rate of 3.78 while also recording 173 dot balls. The individual performances underlined Uganda’s strength across all departments and helped them complete a perfect five wins from five matches to lift the Division Two title. Other results Elsewhere, Ghana defeated Mozambique by 10 wickets in the final match of their campaign. Mozambique were bowled out for 56 in 17.4 overs before Ghana reached 57 without loss in 17.5 overs. Nigeria also ended their campaign with a convincing 165-run victory over Sierra Leone. Nigeria posted 311 for nine in 50 overs before bowling Sierra Leone out for 146 in 45.5 overs. For Uganda, the perfect campaign ends with the Division Two trophy and promotion to Division One. For Rwanda, the immediate challenge is now to prepare a young squad for the much tougher Division One, where the standard of opposition will rise significantly. Final standings Uganda — 10 points Nigeria — 8 points Rwanda — 6 points Ghana — 4 points Sierra Leone — 2 points Mozambique — 0 points
