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Paul McNamara

Uganda cricketer Alpesh Ramjani has revealed that a handful of Indian superstars will cheer on his team during their Challenge League B campaign in Hong Kong.
Ramjani, who was in the 2023 ICC T20 Internationals team of the year after claiming a record 55 wickets in a single calendar year, moved to Uganda in 2021 after his construction job in India became a casualty of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The slow-left-arm bowler was instrumental in Uganda’s qualification for the 2024 T20 World Cup, which was won by an India team featuring his former domestic cricket teammates Suryakumar Yadav and Shivam Dube.
The global tournament, where Uganda won one of their four matches, was especially poignant for Ramjani, 30, who lost his father, Ravilal, in January last year after a long illness.
“Dad was the one who was always inspiring me to reach the highest level,” Ramjani said. “He watched all the qualification matches, but he could not watch me at the World Cup. His blessings are still with me and I am always motivated to do well for him.”
Ramjani’s economy rate of 4.75 from 54 T20Is, since his 2022 debut, is second in the world only to the 4.69 of 44-year-old teammate Frank Nsubuga.

“There’s no rivalry between us – we view it as a partnership,” said Ramjani, who called Uganda’s debut T20 World Cup appearance a “stepping stone”.
The top two from the six-team, three-leg Challenge League B will remain on the 2027 50-over Cricket World Cup pathway. Uganda, who sit first after a dominant home leg last November, begin leg two against Bahrain at Tin Kwong Road Recreation Ground on Friday.
“We want to qualify for another World Cup and deliver a morale boost to the 48 million people back in Uganda,” said Ramjani, who is also a very useful middle-order batter. “Every young cricketer aspires to be like us and represent their nation at the highest level. People in this team are seen as idols.”
Ramjani, who has also played alongside India batter Shreyas Iyer, was encouraged to relocate to Uganda by national team all-rounder Dinesh Nakrani, who moved to the East African country from the pair’s home city of Mumbai in 2016.
He had been working in his father’s construction business, which suffered during the pandemic, and saw an opportunity to support his family. “Coming from my cricket background, it’s a dream come true to play professionally,” Ramjani said.

When he is back in India, Ramjani meets up with the childhood friends who would become international stars.
“We have a strong bond, we share memories and talk about India and Uganda,” Ramjani said “They support us and always look out for how we are doing.”
Ramjani’s captain, Riazat Ali Shah, meanwhile, made his Uganda debut in 2018, around the time they sank into World Cricket League Division 4. After a key role in their recovery and rise, the 26-year-old, who swapped Pakistan for Uganda in 2017, was appointed skipper last October.
“We all worked towards one goal [T20 World Cup] for six years, but now we have to build on that,” Shah said. “Our next goal is ODI status.”
Uganda has four grass wickets, after the first was laid in 2003, but the Lugogo Cricket Oval, in the capital Kampala, is set for conversion into a multipurpose sports complex.
“The cricket association wants more grounds and more turf wickets, and they are working towards those things,” Shah said.
“We are building academies and trying to get more youngsters playing. They now have role models they want to follow by playing for Uganda and winning World Cup matches.”


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Sport

Cricket

Uganda hero Alpesh Ramjani thriving on international scene after moving to Uganda following job loss in home city Mumbai


Uganda hero Alpesh Ramjani thriving on international scene after moving to Uganda following job loss in home city Mumbai.


ICC Cricket World Cup

India cricket stars backing ambitious Uganda during Hong Kong Challenge League campaign

.css-1c6uqr6{color:inherit;font-weight:inherit;font-size:inherit;font-family:inherit;line-height:inherit;overflow-wrap:break-word;}Uganda hero Alpesh Ramjani thriving on international scene after moving to Uganda following job loss in home city Mumbai

Uganda hero Alpesh Ramjani thriving on international scene after moving to Uganda following job loss in home city Mumbai