Self-Belief Behind Strong Start – Coach
The women’s cricket team coach, Joseph Angara has said playing as a unit is the reason behind the side’s bright start to the T20 World Cup Africa qualifiers.
Botswana is hosting the 11-team tournament which began on Thursday and the team had won its opening two matches ahead of their match against Zimbabwe yesterday.
The local side obliterated a hapless Eswatini team with a 195-run victory, the world’s fifth biggest win on runs. Eswatini are the tournament’s punching bags after they suffered another heavy loss to Zimbabwe on Friday, when they collapsed to 17 all out, one of the lowest T20 totals.
Botswana returned to face another struggling side in Mozambique on Friday. The local side did not show any mercy for their fellow southern African side, winning by 110 runs.
Inserted to bat, Botswana scored 151 runs in the allotted 20 overs and Mozambique was never in the contest, folding to 41 all out.
Amantle Mokgotlhe top scored with 52, reaching the half century from just 24 balls. However, it was Shameelah Mosweu who shone with the ball taking six wickets for just three runs in a devastating four over spell.
She was voted woman of the match.
Coach Angara attributed the good start to the strong team spirit.
“There is a lot of self-belief in the team and we are playing as a unit with everyone taking up her role,” Angara said.
The recent trip to Rwanda for the Kwibuka T20 tournament appears to have paid dividends. Although the team struggled in Kigali, there were several bright spots, and a strong end to the competition.
Angara has said reaching the semi finals will be a good achievement and wants the girls to take each game as it comes.
Botswana were due to meet Zimbabwe yesterday, in the sternest test thus far. Two teams from the group that has Botswana, Eswatini, Mozambique, Zimbabwe, Rwanda and Tanzania proceed to the semi final.
Group B has one of the tournament’s favourites, Namibia, Uganda, Nigeria and Sierra Leone. Namibia top the group with maximum points from two matches.
The winner of the tournament earns the right to play in the global qualifiers scheduled for next year, while South Africa will host the World Cup finals at the beginning of 2023.