No underestimating the underdogs, as Uganda face their role models Windies tonight

When Uganda take the field today against West Indies for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup Group C clash at the Guyana National Stadium, Providence, East Bank Demerara (EBD), it will be an emotional moment for most of the African team, who are playing their first World Cup.
Not only will Uganda be on a high, coming off of a win against Papua New Guinea earlier this week, but they will be battling players whom they look up to as role models in the sport.
Speaking about the impending moment and the emotions associated with it was Uganda’s wicketkeeper-batsman Simon Ssesazi.
Ssesazi shared in a pre-match press conference on Friday, “It’s actually going to be historic, playing a team you’ve always been seeing on TV. Some of us, our roles models are in West Indies. West Indies is our second team apart from Uganda, every time you see West Indies play, it’s like you’re there. Myself, I only support West Indies in any format of the game, that’s the attachment I have for the West Indies team.

“Playing them for the first time in my life, it’s actually going to be a blessing for me. I believe we may not ‘win’ as I say, but just wait for the underdogs. It’s going to be fire. Saturday night is going to be fire.”
As they gear up for their second game of the World Cup thus far, the Men in Maroon, especially considering how their first game unfolded, will not be taking any team, big or small, for granted; as related by all-rounder Roston Chase.
“As I said, it’s a World Cup, every team is coming here to win, so you can’t take any team lightly. Even in the first game that we played, we were on the back foot a bit. So, it’s clear to see that any team can win on the day, so you have to take every game very serious and go out there and play your best game, every game,” Chase shared.
Also not buying into the ‘big team, small team’ notion was Ssesazi, who sees the playing field as level once you get to the World Cup.
The Ugandan batter shared, “Cricket is cricket and mostly T20, anything can happen. The person you call an underdog really gives you a big bite and you feel it. So, I don’t prefer this ‘big team, small team’ in cricket, every team is the same. You know, reaching the World Cup, that means you’re all on the same level, that means you expect the same energy from the big teams and small teams, you never underestimate any team and depending on the wickets we’re playing on, anything can happen.”
Back to the Men in Maroon, Chase spoke of the importance of the fans’ support and what it can do to motivate the players throughout the competition.
Chase explained, “I would expect from the home fans to really rally around the team. I mean, everyone may have their own opinions: they think this person should be playing or that person shouldn’t be playing, but I just think that it’s a case where the team is already selected, so, whoever is here just back them 100 per cent, just give them the support.”
“When I go out there and the fans ae giving us that support, as you say, it’s like a 12th man, it gives you that extra push, that extra boost. You may be tired, but then when you see the fans rallying, it gives you some energy,” he further stated.
The battle at Providence will bowl off at 20:30h tonight.