DAR ES SALAAM: THE Tanzania U-19 boys’ cricket team made a strong start in the 2025 Easter Youth ODI Series in Kampala, Uganda, but suffered their first defeat in the second match.
Tanzania U-19 edged out Uganda U-19 with a hard-fought threewicket victory in the opening game at Lugogo Oval over the weekend.
However, they couldn’t maintain their momentum, falling to Uganda in the second match at the same venue on Monday.
Uganda U-19 delivered a dominant all-round performance to claim an emphatic eight-wicket win. Chasing a target of 190, the hosts cruised to victory, reaching 190/2 in just 28 overs.
Earlier, Tanzania U-19 struggled with the bat after winning the toss and electing to bat first. They were bowled out for 189 in 41.1 overs, with Dylan Tharkar anchoring the innings with a fluent 73 off 77 balls, including eight fours and two sixes.
Despite Tharkar’s heroics, the rest of the batting lineup faltered. Tanzania lost wickets at regular intervals, with Acrey Hugo (10 off 29) and Karim Kiseto (15 off 19) departing early. Mohammed Ahmed (21 off 36) and Hamza Onai (26 off 37) provided brief resistance, but Uganda’s disciplined bowling attack kept the pressure on.
Musa Ramathan led Uganda’s bowling effort, finishing with impressive figures of 3/22 in 8 overs, including key dismissals of Acrey Pascal, Ally Hafidh Ally and Abdulrazak Mohamedi.
In response, Uganda’s top-order batters dominated the chase, reaching the target comfortably in just 28 overs with eight wickets in hand. With both teams now having one win and one loss in the series, they returned to action yesterday for the third match.
Tanzania’s next fixture will be crucial as they look to bounce back against Uganda U-19 today.
In the series opener, Tanzania U-19 successfully chased down 161 in 39.1 overs after bowling out Uganda U-19 for 160 in 34.2 overs. Despite early pressure from Uganda’s bowlers, they held firm to reach 164/7 in 39.1 overs, securing the win.
As the series progress, Tanzania will aim to regain their winning form and stay competitive in the tournament. The three-team series is scheduled to conclude on Saturday.
