Glasgow, Scotland: Uganda’s netball team, the She Cranes, missed out on a place in the semifinals of the 2026 Commonwealth Games after suffering a spirited 58-50 defeat to world number two New Zealand in their fourth Pool B match on Tuesday.
The defeat mathematically ended Uganda’s hopes of reaching the last four, but the She Cranes left the court with their reputation enhanced after pushing two of the world’s strongest netball nations, Jamaica and New Zealand, to the limit in successive matches.
Uganda arrived at the fixture needing victory to keep their semifinal hopes alive after narrowly losing 55-49 to Jamaica in their previous outing.
Against the Silver Ferns, the She Cranes produced another disciplined performance and matched their highly rated opponents for long periods.
Uganda trailed by just 15-14 after the opening quarter before remaining firmly in contention at halftime with New Zealand leading 28-25.
The turning point came in the third quarter when New Zealand’s greater squad depth and continuous player rotations began to tell. The Silver Ferns stretched their advantage to 44-35, forcing Uganda into an uphill battle heading into the final period.
The She Cranes responded with determination, reducing the deficit and refusing to surrender, but New Zealand held firm to secure victory and maintain their unbeaten record in Pool B.
Goal shooter Mary Cholhok once again spearheaded Uganda’s attack with another influential performance, while goal defence Gloria Ayaa stood out defensively with crucial interceptions and relentless pressure that kept Uganda competitive throughout the contest.
Despite missing out on the semifinals, Uganda can reflect positively on a campaign that reaffirmed its status among the world’s leading netball nations.
The She Cranes opened the tournament with an impressive 59-50 victory over Wales before producing one of the most dominant performances of the Games with an emphatic 80-34 win over Trinidad and Tobago.
Although defeats to Jamaica (55-49) and New Zealand (58-50) ended their medal ambitions, Uganda demonstrated significant progress by remaining competitive against two of the highest-ranked teams in world netball.
The performances highlighted the continued growth of the She Cranes under increasingly competitive international conditions and provided further evidence that Uganda remains a formidable force on the global stage.
Uganda will conclude its Pool B campaign against hosts Scotland on Thursday, with third place in the group still up for grabs.
Batte exits boxing tournament
Elsewhere, Uganda’s boxing captain Nuhu Batte saw his Commonwealth Games campaign come to an end after losing to Patris Mughalzai in the men’s welterweight (65kg) quarterfinal.
Batte produced a spirited performance throughout the bout, but the judges awarded victory to his opponent, ending Uganda’s hopes of a boxing medal in the category.
Team Uganda continues to enjoy a memorable Commonwealth Games campaign, highlighted by Husnah Kukundakwe’s historic silver medal in para-swimming and the Gazelles’ remarkable run to the women’s 3×3 basketball semifinals.
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