National cricket team coach David Obuya oversees training at Sikh Union Sports Club. PHOTO/RAYMOND MAKHAYA.

Cricket

Obuya unhappy over lack of enough preps ahead of T20 World Cup qualifiers

Published

November 11, 2022

NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 11 – National men’s cricket team coach David Obuya is disappointed over the lack of enough time for preparations ahead of next week’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub Regional Africa A qualifiers in Rwanda.

Obuya said he has struggled to implement the strategies he had in store to prepare the team for the task ahead.

“The preparations have not been up to mark…especially with regards to a tournament of this caliber. We have only trained for eight days for the coaches and the boys because we have been struggling to do a lot of things within the minimal time. It is quite a short time to prepare for the event,” Obuya said.

The former national team player added that he has put his hope in experienced players who he believes can help the younger ones handle the pressure of competing at an international level.

“What we will rely on…and that is what we have been depending on for the past couple of months…is our experienced players. Even in this tournament, we will be relying on our experienced players who have come through on so many occasions for us. The fact that we are the biggest team in the tournament and have played a lot of matches…we hope it will work to our advantage,” Obuya, who made his one-day international (ODI) debut against West Indies in 2001, said.

Shem Ngoche goes through his training under the watchful eye of coach David Obuya at Sikh Union Sports Club. PHOTO/RAYMOND MAKHAYA.

Nonetheless, Obuya is proud of the much they have done within the short time, pointing out that the team that will turn up in Rwanda is markedly improved from the one that played Nepal in a six-match series in September.

“We have sorted out our issue with the top order batting and replaced our opening batsman. We have Pushkar (Sharma) taking up one of the roles of the opening batsman so I think we are good to go. As for the other teams of the tournament, I wouldn’t say I know much about them with the exception of Nigeria. I will be scouting the Internet for more video clips of the other teams competing in the tournament,” he said.

The coach was speaking at Sikh Union club on Friday afternoon during the naming of 14-man squad set to compete at the 10-day round-robin competition at Gahanga Stadium.

The team will be skippered by Kanbis Sports Club’s Sachin Bhudia who will be assisted by Nairobi Gymkhana’s Lucas Oluoch.

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Bhudia was elated to have received the armband, describing the latest accolade as an honour and humbling experience.

“I am happy and honoured to hold this position. I don’t feel like I am under any pressure rather I am confident about being the captain. We are ready to go out and battle and win the title,” Bhudia, who takes over from Shem Ngoche, said.