Abhay Sharma, an Indian cricket coach, has been appointed the new head coach of Uganda’s men’s national team by the Uganda Cricket Association.
The 54-year-old signed a three-year contract and will guide the Cricket Cranes in the upcoming T20 World Cup. Uganda, making their debut in the tournament, will participate in the event hosted in the United States and the West Indies. Sharma expressed gratitude for the opportunity and enthusiasm to work with Uganda’s talented cricketers. Despite only being in Uganda for a short time, he already feels at home, drawing parallels between the warm welcome and ambiance to that of India.
Although Sharma never played for India, he had a successful career in first-class cricket, representing Delhi and Railways as a wicketkeeper-batsman. Following his playing days, he transitioned into coaching, working with Railways and serving as a fielding coach for India A and India Under-19s.
Uganda earned their spot in the T20 World Cup after finishing runners-up in the African qualification tournament last November. Placed in Group C, they will compete against the West Indies, New Zealand, Afghanistan, and Papua New Guinea. The tournament commences on 1 June, with the top two teams from each group advancing to the Super 8s, leading to the semi-finals and the final scheduled for 29 June in Bridgetown, Barbados.
Despite being ranked 22nd in the ICC’s men’s T20 rankings, Sharma is optimistic about Uganda’s potential to surprise. He believes that by addressing fielding lapses and improving game awareness and mental strength, the team can compete with the world’s best and cause upsets in the tournament.
