Cricket team targets progress in World Cup qualifiers
Mqondisi Dube | Friday May 22, 2026 10:16
Rwanda and Cameroon get the ball rolling with the first fixture of the tournament at 9:30am at the Botswana Cricket Association (BCA) Oval A.
The hosts will be in action later in the day at 1:50pm against Sierra Leone as they get their campaign off the ground.
Coach Stanley Timoni said they are ready for the qualifiers, with the aim being to progress to the second phase of the qualifiers.
'The preparations have been going well, and the boys have shown great commitment, discipline and hunger throughout the build-up to the qualifiers. We have worked hard on all departments of the game, and the team spirit in camp has been very positive,' he said.
'As a coaching group, we are happy with the progress the players have made, and we believe the team is ready to compete at a high level.'
Timoni added that confidence is high in camp, but the team remains grounded and focused on the task at hand.
'We remain humble and focused because qualifiers are always competitive. We respect all the teams taking part, but our focus is mainly on executing our plans, maintaining consistency and playing positive cricket. 'If we do that, well, we believe we have a strong chance of progress,' the coach said.
Timoni stated the main goal is to qualify and continue flying the Botswana flag high.
'We want to play disciplined cricket, stay united as a team and represent the country with pride. At this stage, we are not concentrating too much on one specific opponent as every team at this level can be dangerous on their day. The key for us is to stay focused on our processes and not get distracted from our objectives,' he said.
Team captain, Karabo Motlhanka said while preparations have been good, the rains have disrupted their plans.
'The preparations have been good, not necessarily ideal because of the amount of rain we have had in the last month or so, but the mood in the camp is a highly positive one,' he said.
'The team is as ready as we can be and every single one of us is eager to get on the park and show out to our home support. We have only one goal and that is to win the first match and then take it from there,' the captain added.
Matches will be played on a round robin basis, with the Botswana-Rwanda clash likely to decide the winners of the qualifiers. In a statement, BCA CEO, Tebogo Ntseang said hosting the qualifiers is a pride milestone for Botswana.
'We are honoured to welcome seven nations to the BCA Oval and showcase Botswana on the international stage,' she said.