KAMPALA, March 30 (Xinhua) -- The Saudi Arabia national team will play five international friendly games against hosts Uganda in Kampala, starting on Friday.
Handled by Aaron Ward, the Saudi Arabia national cricket team is ready for the action at the Lugogo Cricket Oval.
"This is going to be a good test for the team as we prepare for the ICC World Cup T20 regional qualifier to be played in Kuwait next month," Ward told Xinhua on Thursday. The coach said playing a team of Uganda's stature that plays in the higher Division Four will help tune his players better.
Muhammed Afzal, the Saudi Arabia captain said that although they beat Uganda last year in a game played in Nairobi, Kenya during a friendly match, these games in Kampala will be different because their team has also had some changes.
Martin Ondeko, the administrator told Xinhua that the two teams will play four 50-over games and one Twenty20 to take place at the Lugogo and Kyambogo Ovals. Uganda will also use the five matches to prepare their team ahead of the ICC World Cricket League Division Four slated for April 28 to May 6 in Malaysia.
The Uganda Cricket Cranes last month had a tour of Qatar and India where they played 13 games, with nine wins and four defeats. "These five games have come at the right time because they will help us try out a number of things. We thank the Uganda and Saudi Arabia Cricket bodies for arranging for these international build-up games," said Uganda's captain Roger Mukasa.
Uganda was relegated to Division 4 last year together with Malaysia after they finished 5th in the tournament hosted in Kampala. In Malaysia they will play against the hosts, Jersey, Bermuda and Vanuatu.
The ICC World Cricket League Division Four in Malaysia will also form part of the 2017–2022 cycle of the World Cricket League, which determines the qualification for the 2023 Cricket World Cup.
