"VAN" (Sports Desk - 09.12.2023) :: The journey to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 in Bangladesh continues as Uganda opens her doors to host the Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier from 9 to 17 December.
For the first time, two spots are up for grabs from the Africa region as Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda and Zimbabwe look to book their place in the Global Qualifier taking place in the Dubai next year.
Group A includes tournament favourites, Zimbabwe, alongside Botswana, Kenya and Tanzania, while Group B comprises Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda and Uganda.
Botswana announced themselves when they hosted the ICC Africa Division 2 Qualifier in September this year. They finished in second place, behind Kenya after beating Malawi and Lesotho in the preliminary round, followed by an inspired performance against Sierra Leone in the semi-finals to book their ticket to the regional qualifier in Uganda.
Kenya made their intentions known with an unbeaten run as they won the ICC Africa Division 2 Qualifier in Botswana earlier this year. They will look to add to their winning streak when they meet Zimbabwe in the tournament opener on the ninth.
Namibia have set themselves high targets, knowing that they are capable of qualifying for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifiers from their past experience in 2019. With the recent successes of their senior men’s team in qualifying for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 in the USA and West Indies, the Eagles will look to emulate that triumph in their own hunt for qualification glory.
Nigeria have amassed a large fan-following in spite of the fact that the majority of the fixtures they have played have been away from home. As a growing team, they will throw caution to the wind, playing their now trademark, fearless style of cricket as they take on Africa’s most promising names.
Rwanda will be one of the teams to look out for, with a squad that comprises a large number of their history-making women’s U19 squad which beat Zimbabwe and West Indies at the inaugural ICC Women’s U19 T20 World Cup in South Africa in January this year.
Tanzania aim to make history by qualifying for the Global Qualifiers for the first time. They prepared for the Africa Qualifiers in a quadrangular series played in Hong Kong, the game time from there, giving them confidence as they look to face Africa’s brightest up-and-coming stars.
Uganda will hope to make use of their home ground advantage as they also aim to reach the same heights as their men’s team, which recently qualified for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies alongside Namibia. They have left no stone unturned in their preparation, scheduling two training camps in Eastern Uganda and Entebbe, where the event will be held.
Zimbabwe will open the final regional qualifying event of what has been a busy calendar year as favourites considering their history in this event. In preparation for the event, they come from a 17-day training camp at the “I Can We Can Cricket” Institute in Mumbai, India, followed by an unofficial T20 series against the South Africa Emerging Women, which they hosted at Harare Sports Club, narrowly losing 3-2.
Patricia Kambarami, ICC Regional Development Manager – Africa said: “It is an exciting time for women’s cricket in Africa. We are delighted by the growth in the number of teams involved in the pathway to this event this year.
“The expansion of the sport and increase in fan support on the continent is culminating in what will surely be a festival of cricket in Uganda over the next nine days.
“This tournament will show off Africa’s most promising talent, with two representatives moving onto the Global Qualifiers in Dubai next year. We look forward to a closely contested and entertaining tournament, where fresh talent will be discovered and celebrated.”
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