Tikolo returns as Cricket Cranes head coach for third stint
David GOMBE
Cricket Uganda has named Kenyan legend Steve Tikolo as the Cricket Cranes head coach for the next three years.
This marks Tikolo’s third stint at the helm of the Ugandan national team, a development that has sent ripples of excitement through the local cricketing community.
For those who have followed the Cricket Cranes over the past decade, Tikolo needs no introduction. Known affectionately as “Gunnzie” during his illustrious playing days, he has long been regarded as one of the finest cricketers to emerge from the continent.
His previous tenures in Uganda were defined by a rigorous focus on discipline, tactical development, and expanding the team’s depth. During his time with the Cranes, Tikolo was instrumental in blooding new talent and instilling a professional culture that saw the team compete with renewed vigor on the global stage.
The timing of this appointment suggests that the Uganda Cricket Association is looking for stability and a proven leader to solidify the progress the team has made in recent years.
With a three-year mandate, Tikolo has the runway required to implement a long-term vision, focus on youth development, and refine the tactical approach of a squad that has shown it can punch above its weight.
“I am not a stranger in Uganda,” Tikolo once famously remarked during his early days in the country.
That familiarity is likely to be his greatest asset. He arrives knowing the players, the local challenges, and the potential that lies within the current squad.
Tikolo replaces Uganda Abhay Sharma who resigned from the in October 2025 following a disappointing T20 World Cup Qualifying campaign in Zimbabwe.
Sharma was appointed as Cricket Cranes head coach in April last year and managed the team at the T20 World Cup in the West Indies.
Sharma had replaced South African coach Laurence Mahatlane at the helms and leaves after just one year and half into his three year employment contract.