Kenya cricket ladies through to World Cup Division 1 Qualifiers following impressive show in Gaborone

Kenya women’s cricket side will be among the teams battling it out for the African slots in the 2024 T20 Women’s World Cup Qualifiers after successfully gaining passage through the World Cup Africa Qualifier – Division 2 tournament by virtue of reaching the finals in Botswana.

The feat was achieved on Wednesday 6 September afternoon as the Lionesses made a brilliant comeback after an early startle in the first innings against Cameroon, to eventually come out tops - dispatching the West African representatives by 118 runs - to book their place into Friday’s finals to be played at the Gaborone Oval 1 Grounds.

After dominating all their pool fixtures; where Kenya defeated the aforementioned Botswana - by 111 runs, Malawi - by 7 wickets, and Lesotho - by 208 runs, it looked inevitable that the Kenyans would win this one, only to find themselves staring at a batting score of 3-32 after just 3.5 overs.

The opening trio of Daisy Wairimu, star of the tournament Queentor Abel, and Mary Mwangi - who was dismissed for a duck - would however leave the crease to skipper Esther Wachira, who ended up being the savior then, with her maiden T20I half century (51) off 45 balls.

Lionesses step up preparations for upcoming ICC Division 2 qualifiers

The domination was so good for the Roaring Simbas player as she also combined for a 71 – run in a fourth wicket partnership alongside Venasa Adhiambo who scored 32 runs off 32 balls.

The finishing touches all the way to a run total of 156-5 was done by Melvin Khagoitsa - who had her own 28 runs off 20 balls to close out the innings.

As has been the tale so far in the tournament, there was no stopping the Kenyan bowlers in their innings as former captain Queentor dropped five wickets in four overs to lead the charge of Mwangi and Wachira - two wickets each - in ousting the Cameroonians for a meager 38 runs in 14.4 overs.

Joining the Kenyan ladies in the final will be a Botswana side that apart from the loss to Kenya, engineered three wins over Lesotho, Malawi and Sierra Leone to also book a place in the Women T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier - Division 1 set for 7th - 18th December 2023 in Entebbe, Uganda.

Prior to the final that kicks off at 1450 EAT, there will be a third place playoff pitting Cameroon and Sierra Leone at 1030 EAT and at the same venue.