This is the first time Botswana plays in the world event. The Botswana team faces an uphill battle as it is paired with the hosts and defending champions New Zealand, Wales and Malawi in Group A.
Speaking to Mmegi Sport at the farewell dinner for the players on Monday, captain Kelebogile Mocuminyane said it is not in doubt that they are going to be the underdogs at the tournament. However, she was satisfied with the training they went through. She applauded the Botswana Netball Association (BONA) for the support throughout the training period. At one time, the team was sent to train with their South African counterpart. Mocuminyane said they will do their best and they aim to finish in a good position. She added that even if they will not perform well, they will get the necessary exposure. She hoped that they would beat Malawi and Wales to proceed to the next level of the competition. Botswana has failed to beat Malawi for sometime but Mocuminyane said history will count for nothing when the two sides meet. She said they are going to play against their African counterparts as if they have never met before.
