Baby Victoria Pearls Target Semifinal Breakthrough at ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers

Uganda’s U19 Women’s Cricket National Team, the Baby Victoria Pearls, have travelled to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, with one clear objective: to finally break through the semifinal barrier at the ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Division One Qualifiers.

The Baby Victoria Pearls are entering the final stage of the qualification journey, with the ultimate prize being a place at the 2027 ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Bangladesh and Nepal.

Uganda have repeatedly reached the semifinals of the Africa qualifiers in recent campaigns but have failed to progress to the final. Captain Jamia Abdallah Muhammad says the team is determined to change that record in Tanzania.

“Our mission this time is to overcome where we failed in Botswana and Kigali. We cannot pretend that it did not hurt us. We have managed to reach the semifinals, but we have never managed to reach the final of the qualifiers, and that is a mission we want to accomplish in Tanzania,” Jamia said.

She believes the team’s preparations, combined with the introduction of several debutants, have given the squad renewed confidence ahead of the tournament.

“Our preparations for this qualifying tournament have been intensive, and we have put in a lot of work. We are ready and understand the responsibility that comes with putting on the national colours.

“This time, we are younger and hungrier because we have many debutants, which brings in different qualities. We are out to change history,” she added.

Shadia Gilingish Nabulime also spoke at the team’s flag-off ceremony held at the Lugogo Cricket Oval, highlighting the work done during preparations.

“We have worked on all aspects of the game, from batting to bowling strength, so that we can bowl better. We are mentally and physically strong, and reaching the final is the least we expect,” Nabulime said.

Assistant coach Ivan Kakande believes the team’s recent competitive games have provided a strong foundation ahead of the qualifiers.

“The team is well prepared. We have played a lot of Test matches, including the High Performance Series, where we defeated Rwanda 4-0. That is the major performance we seek to build on during the tournament,” Kakande said.

Head coach Brian Mark Masaba also highlighted the progress made by the team during their preparations while stressing the importance of performing on the day.

“During the preparations, we have seen a lot of improvement since we started. As coaches, we are very happy with the girls.

“For us as a team, we need to understand that cricket games are won on the day. It is not about names or players; it is about who shows up on the day,” Masaba said.

The qualifiers feature eight teams divided into two groups. Uganda are in Group A alongside hosts Tanzania, Nigeria and Malawi.

The Baby Victoria Pearls will begin their campaign against Nigeria on August 30 before facing hosts Tanzania the following day. They will conclude their group-stage campaign against Malawi on September 2.

The top two teams from Group A will advance to the semifinals, where they will face the top two teams from Group B, which comprises Zimbabwe, Namibia, Kenya and Rwanda.

The semifinals will be played on September 3, followed by the final on September 5, with classification matches also scheduled.

Only the tournament winner will secure a direct qualification slot to the 2027 ICC U19 Women’s T20 World Cup.

For Uganda, the mission is clear: go beyond the semifinal stage and finally book a place in the final, bringing them one step closer to the global tournament.