Squad for softball qualifiers named
Calistus Kolantsho | Saturday January 14, 2023 06:00
The qualifiers will pave way for top two teams who will represent Africa at the XVII WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup. Countries that will take part are Tanzania, Lesotho, South Africa, Uganda, Kenya, Zimbabwe and Zambia.
In 2019, Botswana played two qualifiers, being the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and the World Cup. The team booked themselves a ticket to Holland in the Olympic qualifiers after coming tops against South Africa.
But Botswana failed to proceed to the Olympics after losing all their matches. The country now has a chance to book a berth in the next stage of the WBSC Women's Softball World Cup qualifiers. BSA public relations officer, Pako Maforaga told Mmegi Sport that all systems are in place. “The preparations are going well.
The technical team was able to reduce the number of players and the final team will have 16 players. The list that has been released has 19 players and five were dropped,” he said.
Players who were dropped from the squad are Tina Kagiso (outfield), Otsile Moshabe (infield), Apelo Madise (infield), Lesego Rammusi (outfield) and Irene Mutunge (utility).
Botswana and South Africa are the two countries that stand a chance to qualify for the next stage of the tournament. Botswana will be slotted into one of two groups for the final qualifiers, depending on the position the team finishes in. Group A will compete in Dublin, Ireland from July 11 to 15, followed by Group B that will compete in Valencia, Spain, from July 18 to 22.
The Netherlands, Great Britain and Italy advanced as the top three nations from the European Championship 2022 while USA, Canada, Cuba, Puerto Rico and Venezuela qualified as the top five from this year’s Pan American Championship. Two wild cards have been allocated to Ireland and Spain as host nations, while Australia and New Zealand will represent Oceania.
Two continental qualifiers are still to be played, with three spots available in the Women’s Softball Asia Cup to be played in Korea and two more in the African qualifier, to be played in Botswana. After these two tournaments, the WBSC will award the final wild card to complete the 18 teams of the competition. The top two teams from each group of the group stage, plus two wild cards, will advance to the eight-team World Cup Finals in 2024.
The exact dates of the WBSC Women’s Softball World Cup finals, to be staged in Castions di Strada & Buttrio, Italy, will be announced at a later date. The Botswana squad Gotlamang Sixpence (pitcher), Oneetse Ribbin (pitcher), Wangu Gondo (pitcher), Lesego Mogale (pitcher), Goitseone Monyadzwe (catcher), Magdeline Mmapitsa (catcher), Bafedile Dube (designated player), Tuna Passman (infield), Onkokame Thakoyakgomo (infield), Segolame Pule (outfield), Maitumelo Serumola (outfield), Tshegofatso Gaetepele (infield), Bonolo Molefhe (outfield), Charity Isaac (infield), Kesego Segwe (outfield), Lereng Mogotle (infield), Keletso Mogale (outfield) and Lesego Rankwaila (outfield).