By Spy Uganda
The African regional qualifiers for the 2023 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup got underway this week, with Zimbabwe and Namibia making the early running.
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The first day of competition on Thursday saw a pair of blowouts in Group A, with Rwanda thumping Mozambique by 10 wickets and 107 balls remaining. Immaculée Muhawenimana was the star for Rwanda with 4/6, as Mozambique were bundled out for just 17 before the target was polished off in the third over. Botswana made a real statement of intent in the second Group A match with a mammoth 224/2 in their 20 overs (Olebogeng Batisani top-scored with 77 off 66), before Eswatini crawled to 29 all out in the 15th over.
Over in Group B, Namibia claimed pole position with a hard-fought win over the higher-ranked Ugandans, who fell just 4 runs short. Kayleen Green’s 54* (49) was the difference, as she took Namibia to 105/4 in their 20 overs. The afternoon match saw Nigeria get off the mark against Sierra Leone, successfully chasing their target of 103 in 16 overs thanks to a steady hand of 27 (31) from Blessing Etim – who also bowled four tidy overs for 0/13.
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Day 2 on Friday was another dominant performance from Botswana in Group A, who thrashed Mozambique by 110 runs after posting 151/6. Amantle Mokgotlhe blasted 52* (24), but offspinner Shameelah Mosweu grabbed the plaudits with 6/3 to dismiss Mozambique for just 41. Zimbabwe meanwhile got off to a steady start with skipper Mary-Anne Musonda’s 52* (45) carrying them to a six-wicket win in 19 overs after Loryn Phiri’s 4/12 helped to dismiss Tanzania for 103 in 19.4 overs.
Group B saw Namibia press their claim as frontrunners, posting 125/7 before restricting Nigeria to just 66/7 in their 20.
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Saturday’s third matchday highlighted again the gulf in experience between the higher-ranked sides and the stragglers, with Zimbabwe making short work of Eswatini and Tanzania demolishing Mozambique. Esther Mbofana, on debut for Zimbabwe, claimed her nation’s first 5-wicket haul and best-ever T20I bowling figures with 6/11 as Eswatini folded for 17. Then the batters knocked off the runs in just two overs.
Tanzania meanwhile cashed in against a wayward Mozambican bowling performance as Mwanaidi Swedy thrashed 87* (48) on debut to carry her team to 228/4, then stamped their authority with the ball to dismiss Mozambique for 28.
Uganda bounced back from their opening loss in Group B, with a clinical 43-run win over Nigeria – they posted 104/8 then bowled with discipline to choke the Nigerians for 61 in 14.5 overs.
