Sports

Women’s team vies for T20 World Cup slot

Calistus Kolantsho | Friday December 8, 2023 10:00

Botswana women's cricket team recently went for training camp in Karnataka, India, organised by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) with support from the Indian High Commission PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO.
 
Botswana women's cricket team recently went for training camp in Karnataka, India, organised by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) with support from the Indian High Commission PIC: MORERI SEJAKGOMO.

This event is a significant step in the qualification process for the 2024 T20 World Cup. Sumod Damodar, the vice chairperson of the Botswana Cricket Association (BCA), shared insights with MmegiSport about the team's preparations.

Damodar highlighted the team's recent training camp in Karnataka, India, organised by the Karnataka State Cricket Association (KSCA) with support from the Indian High Commission. This marked the team's first international travel outside Africa, aiming to gain valuable experience.

"The training programme was intense. The team played five games. The results were not in our favour as we lost a series for one,” he said. Despite facing challenges in the five games played, Damodar emphasised that the primary goal was improvement, not just results.

The training took place at the National Cricket Academy of India within the M. Chinnaswamy Stadium premises in Bengaluru. Damodar stressed that the focus was on the team's progress and improvement under the guidance of KSCA coaches. He said the coaching philosophy emphasised mental strength, attitude, and game planning. “When one gets bogged down with the name of the opposition based on their legacy or how they played previously, they will lose focus.

The coach has worked on that aspect,” Damodar said. Looking ahead to the qualifiers, Damodar expressed optimism, especially after the team's qualification from the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Africa Division 2 qualifier BCA hosted in September. “Having qualified from Division 2, the expectation is that we are good enough to play in Division 1, against anyone that we face.

The tournament is divided into two groups, Group A has Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Botswana, and Kenya, while Group B has Nigeria, Rwanda, and Namibia and hosts Uganda. It is not about which team we play, it is how we play and how we perform,” he said. Damodar said the idea is to go all out and play to win. He said the first step is to finish in the top two in the group, leading to the semi-finals. Winning the semi-finals is the next goal, securing a spot in the finals. Being in the finals is our ticket to qualify for the global qualifiers, explained Damodar.

The squad, led by Laura Mophakedi (captain) and Shameelah Mosweu (vice-captain), includes Goabilwe Matome, Tuelo Shadrack, Onneile Keitsemang, Oratile Kgeresi, Amantle Mokgotlhe, Tebogo Motlhabaphuti, Florence Samanyika, Merapelo Phiase, Pako Mapotsane, Wendy Moutswi, and Tebogo Moitoi.