Botswana’s Baggy Blues will contest the ICC T20 Africa Qualifier Finals in Zimbabwe but it is a must to win to go to the World Cup
TLOTLO KEBINAKGABO
The Botswana Senior Men’s Cricket Team will compete at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier Finals, set for September 20 to October 5 in Zimbabwe.
Preparations and Friendlies
In preparation, the Baggy Blues recently featured in the BCA-GCC Men’s T20 Championship Cup, which ended on 13 September. Organised by the Gaborone Cricket Club in partnership with the Botswana Cricket Association (BCA), the tournament aimed to maintain competitive form.
The national side faced various local select teams during the event. “In terms of the tournament, I would say the team played very well,” said BCA Development Officer Vusimuzi Zikhale in a telephone interview. “While their final match ended in a draw and they ended up losing in the penalties, that does not mean that they are not ready.”
Botswana will also play two friendly matches against Namibia and Malawi before heading to Zimbabwe. Zikhale said the fixtures will be important in sharpening the squad’s readiness.
Confidence Meets Tough Opposition
According to Zikhale, the team is both “ready and confident” for the continental event. “It is the dream of every Motswana for the team to qualify for the World Cup,” he said. “For them to do so, they just need to qualify for the final in Zimbabwe.”
Looking Ahead
The Africa Finals will feature Botswana, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya, and Nigeria. The top two teams will move one step closer to the global tournament.