Brian Masaba on Uganda's 9-wicket hammering by New Zealand

Good evening ladies and gentlemen. Welcome to the post match press conference. With me is our legendary captain from Uganda, Brian Mark Masawa. We're sorry for the delay. A lot of nicest is going around on the pitch with the New Zealanders. The flow is yours. Good evening, Brian. Good evening, Good evening you all. You all have been learning a lot from this tournament, being here and being part of this and and having the experience of playing against some of these full member nations. What have you learned so far that you can take back and help further Ugandan cricket? Yeah, it's been very eye opening for us as a team playing at this level for the first time against some of the full member teams. I I say eye opening because you, you realise the skill level is a bit different, the execution is, is very different. And you know, I mean, these are guys that professional players that play all around the world. So they're very, very good players. And, you know, as a player that's aspiring to get better, there's no better lesson than that to to carry back home because it just shows you how much more work you need to put in to be able to come back and and compete favourably. Being here itself is a massive accomplishment for Ugandan cricket. But what is the next big goal for you all? Yeah, it was important for us to to make it to a World Cup for the first time because now in our targets are different. We want to make sure we come back again and again. And, you know, that's what you want as a team because then it shows that you're growing. So going back home, the work won't stop if anything will work twice as hard to make sure that the next time we come, we're better team and we can compete a bit more with some of the big boys. And you know, that's that's going to be the plan going forward, not just for this playing group, but for, you know, the whole cricket association back home because it's important for us to expand our pool of players just to increase the level of competitiveness in the team. So you know, it's going to be one huge effort for everyone involved. And lastly from me, you have had a decent sized contingent of fans of supporters who have travelled to come see you, as well as some newly found fans right here in the Caribbean. What message do you send to them as your wrap up your campaign? Yeah, we're very grateful of the team. You know to have guys get behind you wherever, whenever you play away from home. It's something we don't take for granted, but more especially to the guys that travelled long distance to be with us here to witness Uganda play at the World Cup for the first time. We, we say massive thank you to them for getting behind the team. I, I think you guys saw the, the energy and the love that they have for the team. It didn't matter whether we're playing well or not, they're always there. They always showed up for us. So you know, we're very grateful to them. And there's also huge number of fans back home that the timings were crazy for them. This game started 3:30 in the morning for them. But you know, guys stay up and follow every ball. So you know, that that's some commitment to this team. And you know, we say thank you again to them. We appreciate the love, we feel the support and hopefully this team can continue to do well, you know, as as appreciation to them. Brian, the manager talked about exchanging, speaking to the New Zealand players. I'm sure you'd have done the same with the West Indies and the other teams. How important is that aspect of it, of learning, the learning that comes between the teams? Yeah, it's, it's huge for us. Again, we, we're a young team. We're, we're looking to learn as much as we can. You know, we've got to start somewhere. And for us, cricket is more, more, more than just just the game. You, you need to try and learn as much as you can because the game is always changing, always evolving. So it's very important that even as players, we, we keep learning, keep growing and then keep getting better. And you can only do that if you acquire knowledge from from the best in the business. So, you know, the the message to the boys was to speak to as many people as possible, learn as much as you can and exchange as many contacts as you can because you never know, one day you might be playing along along these guys, alongside these guys again. You've seen a lot of cricket. I think it's 60 games as captain that you've had for Uganda. Would you describe the win, the one win that you got in this tournament as the biggest moment in your country's cricket history? Yeah. I've been lucky to to have been in the job for quite a while now. So, you know, I've seen where this team has come from. I've seen where where we started and, you know, where we ended up. So personally, when when I speak, you know, I'm speaking from a position of knowledge. I know how far this team has come. And yes, it was very, very special for me to lead my country at the World Cup, more so to pick up a win. Yeah, definitely the highlight of my career and something that's I'll hold dear to me for the rest of my life. Hi, Brian. Hi, I stand corrected, but I understand that it is the first time you all playing on the lights. Yes, competitively we would not have those facilities back home and we didn't get much practice on the lights leading up to to this World Cup. So yes, it was a a whole new experience for a lot of the guys and it does take some adjusting, but I thought we got better as the tournament progressed. When we started we were struggling to to adjust, especially in the field. I think we put down 7 or 8 catches in our first warm up game. But by the end of the tournament where we're holding on to, we're holding on to quite a few. So for me that's progress. And you know, again, it just shows how thin the margins are. You know, something like that can, can cost you a game. So it's very important for us also going forward to make sure that the preparation is just right. And you know, we we tick all the boxes leading up to the tournament. Skip, I know that the youth teams have played in ICC tournaments. Uganda and you're also playing here now. What is actually happening with Uganda cricket in terms of the resources provided? What's actually being done to help Uganda cricket grow? There's been a lot of good work over the last four or five years in, in regards to trying to make sure there's some sort of structures and some sort of, of stability with the national teams. It's not always been the easiest because of, of the lack of facilities, but you know, you've got to find a way to, to work around that. You you just try and do the best that you can with what you have. But you know, considering the fact that the team, this team has done well over the last four or five years, there's been a bit more resources coming in from the ICC as well as the private sector. And that that has definitely helped in in preparing the team for all these tournaments that we've played. And, you know, we, we can only hope that us being at the World Cup opens up more, more doors in that regard, especially back home with, with our government, because we do need them to get a bit more involved in, in terms of providing the infrastructure. So, so the game can can grow a bit more. And what's the following like in the country? Because as he just spoke about the team, the group of people that came to the West Indies to follow you guys, how is cricket going along in Canada? I mean, in Uganda? How is it growing? How well is it in terms of the fans and so on? It's still a niche sport back home. The community is not as huge as, say, football or rugby. But you know, it's growing again because the team has done well. So, you know, the support is growing, the community is growing. A couple of years ago, at most you'd get 2-3 travelling funds. This time we've got a whole contingent, you know, and again, it's small little wins in that that we look for. It's, it's the positives that we can pick up. And for me that's just a big sign that the game is growing. And again, the whole country got behind this team. So for me, that's a good thing to see and I believe the game is headed in the right direction. Good evening. With all the viewing T20 franchises and leagues around, who from your team recently performances of this will give you think franchises should be looking at, should have an eye on? So yeah, straight off the bat are two young first bowlers. I think they've impressed and you know, that's all we could hope for as a team. We did mention to them at the beginning of the tournament that it it was a huge opportunity for them. There was a platform, a lot of eyes on this tournament and they came out and showed that they they can bowl, they can play. So hopefully a few people have taken notice. And it would be great if they got opportunities because it opens up doors not just for themselves, but, you know, for a couple of other guys back home as well. So, yeah, they're very important for us that that happens. Just one for you, Brian, from the local media back home who have managed to wake up this early. Just under score the importance of this shot. Maybe you can show it to them on the camera, under score the importance of the shirt to the people back home that have followed this team and to the youngsters who you inspire whenever we go and play in our own fields. Yeah. I mean, you play this game to to meet great people not just on the field but off the field as well. And personally, being a huge black cups fun, you know, to play against them, to line up against them at the World Cup. It doesn't get bigger than that, doesn't get better than that. So, you know, very special moment for me, but also very special moment for a lot of the guys on the team meeting their idols growing up, you know, meeting the best players in the world. You, you can't underestimate the kind of impact that has on an individual or on the game back home. So, you know, it's very nice of Ken to, to, to give me one of his Jazzes and, you know, good on him for, for doing that. But the experience of mingling with the best in the world, it has a rubber effect on, on the guys. I can guarantee you they're not going to go back home the same. The, the, the mindset has definitely changed. And maybe sometimes that's all you need to, to become a better player. Thank you for attending our press conference. That was Brian Mark Masava, a gentle giant and the lead of our generation.