"It's going to be fire." So said Simon Ssesazi in the pre-match presser for what will doubtless be the most eagerly anticipated match in his nations' long cricketing history. With their maiden T20 World Cup win under their belts, Uganda's Cricket Cranes will be in a buoyant mood as they take the field in the one match the side has been most looking forward too; facing their hosts, and in some cases idols, when they take on the West Indies at Providence on Saturday evening local time.
A first meeting between the two sides, the West Indies, tipped as dark horses for the title in this home tournament, will be strong favourites. The same was true ahead of their first match however, and they didn't really look it as they scratched out a win over unfancied Papua New Guinea at the same ground. Uganda took a pasting in their own opener against Afghanistan of course, but then so did New Zealand earlier today.
While the track at Providence has not attracted the same opprobrium as the drop-in in New York, it has looked to be something of a potential leveller. Uganda will believe that if they hit their lines with the ball and take their chances in the field (no easy task for a side not used to playing under lights), they can put their hosts under the same sort of pressure as PNG's Barramundis did.
The West Indies won't be letting them into the game if they can help it though. Having got the measure of the surface against PNG, expect restraint to temper their usual aggression with the bat. Unconvincing as they may have looked in their opener, they have now won five matches on the trot at home and will not be treating anyone lightly.
Flattered though the West Indies may be, they are unlikely to extend any hospitality on the field. For Uganda's part, the West Indies are for many "the second team", but tonight they'll be looking to make them just that.
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