A school field in Mukono has become one of Uganda cricket’s most powerful classrooms. During Sunday’s high-profile ICC Women’s T20 World Cup encounter between India and South Africa in England and Wales, a short clip lasting barely 20 seconds from Uganda’s ICC Women’s Cricket Week celebrations at Mt St Henry’s Secondary School – Mukono was beamed to millions across the globe.
For Cricket Uganda (CU), it was priceless exposure.
For the 200 girls who took part in the June 17 activities, it was proof that their small steps on a school field had become part of cricket’s biggest global conversation.
The footage showcased energetic drills, smiles and participation during Uganda’s Women’s Cricket Week activities, reinforcing the country’s growing commitment to women’s cricket and the girl child.
‘Women’s Cricket Week gives us a global platform to showcase the local momentum we are building,’ CU Hon Secretary Denis Musali said.
‘By investing heavily in these regional activations, we are not just teaching a game; we are building sustainable structures that will support the sport for decades to come.’
Global airtime
The timing could not have been more significant.
As the world focused on the ongoing Women’s T20 World Cup, Uganda’s grassroots programme found itself sharing the same global stage.
The activities at Mt St Henry’s brought together more than 200 students who received basic cricket lessons from members of the Victoria Pearls and CU development coaches led by Davis Turinawe. The sessions focused on batting, bowling, fielding and fun games designed to make the sport accessible.
CU Women’s representative on the board Lelia Namaganda Ondeko believes the moment was bigger than television exposure.
‘Aligning our local development with the global T20 World Cup creates a powerful narrative,’ Ondeko said.
‘It shows these young women that they are part of a massive, supportive global community.’
Leaving Marks
Victoria Pearls captain Janet Mbabazi said the players were delighted to take cricket directly to schools. ‘As Victoria Pearls, we are happy to come out and share knowledge and to let the girls know that there is a women’s cricket team out there,’ Mbabazi said.
‘We have been able to share our skills and introduce the sport to this school. I will be grateful for some of the girls to make it to the Victoria Pearls team because it means I left a mark.’
The presence of national team players transformed cricket from something seen on television into something tangible. The students shook hands with internationals, learnt directly from them and imagined themselves wearing national colours one day.
Hunger grows
For development coach Solomon Lubwama, who works extensively in Mukono, the impact is already visible. Girls have continued returning to training after the event and interest in the sport has increased.
‘Our next step is to ensure Mt St Henry’s has equipment and ongoing technical support,’ CU development manager Davis Turinawe said.
‘Bringing over 200 girls onto the field in a single afternoon shows the massive hunger for the sport.’
The school itself has already shown promise after reaching the semifinals of the 2026 Sky View Girls Schools Cricket Week in Gulu.
Mt St Henry’s head teacher Teopista Nakalembe believes cricket can become a pathway to education and opportunity. ‘I would like to appreciate ICC and Cricket Uganda for choosing Mt St Henry’s and for keeping our children interested in the game,’ she said.
‘In the academic arena, sports are given a special place, more so the girl child. Today we have started and I know we shall grow the game here.’
And perhaps that is the true legacy of those 20 seconds.
The world may have seen a short television clip but Mukono saw possibilities and the Victoria Pearls saw future teammates.
And somewhere among those 200 girls could be the next Ugandan cricketer to walk onto a World Cup field.
THE TALKING POINT
Lasting Legacy. Television exposure disappears after the broadcast ends, but participation remains. The real victory for Cricket Uganda is not the 20 seconds of global airtime but the hundreds of girls who now know that cricket belongs to them too. If equipment, coaching and school programmes follow, Mukono could become one of Uganda’s next women’s cricket nurseries.