Baggy Blues find going tough at World Cup qualifiers
Mqondisi Dube | Monday October 13, 2025 06:00
It was not going to be easy against some established cricket sides ranked above Botswana, and the qualifiers have only served to emphasise that gap.
On the opening day of the competition last Friday, Botswana failed to match Tanzania as the Baggy Blues suffered a seven-wicket defeat, with 37 balls remaining.
Botswana won the toss and decided to bat on a track that has favoured spin, and could manage almost a run a ball 122 for six in their 20 overs.
Vinoo Balakrishnan anchored Botswana's innings with a blistering 68 from 54 balls, but did not receive sufficient support from his fellow batsmen. Former captain, Karabo Modise, weighed in with 25, but the 122 score was never enough as the Tanzanian cruised to victory in 13.5 overs.
It only got worse for Botswana in the second game, when pitted against the favourites, Zimbabwe, on Sunday. The hosts posted a mammoth 259 for five after Botswana won the toss and decided to bowl.
The result was never in doubt as the Baggy Blues could only manage 89 runs for eight wickets, with Zimbabwe registering a comprehensive 170-run victory, one of the highest winning margins in T20 cricket.
On Tuesday, in their final group stage match, Botswana fell to Uganda after the East Africans' disciplined bowling restricted the Baggy Blues to 81/6 to register an eight-wicket victory. Yesterday (Thursday), the Stanley Timoni side got the chance to get its first victory, but Nigeria proved too strong in the play-off.
It was not a humiliation like in the previous two games, but still, Nigeria managed to record a comfortable 44-run win as Botswana ended the competition without a win.