Cricket: Kenya face tricky Namibia test in World Cup qualifiers

Kenya on Monday face an uphill task in their quest to qualify for the 2024 International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup when they face hosts Namibia in the Africa Regional qualifiers at the United Cricket Club Ground in Windhoek. 

The crucial contest will bowl off at 10:30am Kenyan time, before Uganda face Nigeria at the same venue from 2:50pm. 

At Wanderers Cricket Ground, Zimbabwe will clash with Rwanda from 10:30am Kenyan time. Tanzania is the other team featuring in the tournament. 

After four days of action, the chase for the two berths to the upcoming World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States of America and West Indies from June 4 to 30 is still wide open thus teams will be out to get a firm grip in battle for the tickets. 

Both Namibia and Kenya head into the match on the back of impressive runs, having won all their three opening matches of the competition. 

They are joint top on six points but the hosts are ranked ahead thanks to a superior net run rate. 

Uganda, who upset favourites Zimbabwe by five runs on Sunday are third with four points from the same number of matches. 

Top seeds Zimbabwe are fourth with two points from three matches. 

According to the latest ICC rankings, Zimbabwe are 11th, while Namibia, Uganda, Kenya, Tanzania, Nigeria and Rwanda follow in that order at position 12, 23, 30, 32, 38 and 62 respectively.

In their opening match of the competition, Namibia beat Zimbabwe by seven wickets, before flooring Uganda and Rwanda by six and 68 runs respectively. Against Kenya, they will be hoping for opening batsman Nikolaas Davin to again be on top of his game to guide them to a fourth victory and keep their winning run.

With 89 runs from 45 balls including four sixes and 10 fours to his name, Davin was named the man-of-the-match in Namibia’s victory over Zimbabwe. In the match held at Wanderers Cricket Ground, Namibia who elected to field first after winning the toss hit 134 runs for the loss of four wickets in 14.4 overs of their innings. Zimbabwe had set a target of 132 runs all-out in their innings.

In Namibia’s win over Rwanda (DSL method), Davin again scooped the man-of-the-match accolade after smashing 80 runs from 59 balls including two sixes and eight fours. 

Namibia had set a target of 207 runs for the loss of three wickets in 20 overs of their innings. 

Due to rain, the chase for Rwanda who won the toss and elected to field first ended in the 10th over when they had scored 46 runs for the loss of five wickets. For Kenya, they defeated Rwanda by 17 runs, before edging out Nigeria and Tanzania by four wickets and 50 runs respectively. 

Experienced batsman Collins Obuya will again be hoping to guide Kenya to victory in the match after he impressed with 81 runs from 54 balls against Tanzania. Against Rwanda, he hit half a century from 47 balls.

Coach Lameck Onyango’s side have not been impressive in both batting and fielding. Failure to improve in the two areas will see Namibia dent their World Cup dreams. 

By the time of going to press, it was not yet confirmed if the experienced batsman and skipper Rakep Patel will be available for the match.

He retired injured after facing only two balls in their match against Rwanda, then missed the contest against Nigeria and Tanzania. 

Kenya’s assistant coach Joseph Angara had last week told Nation Sport that he is making good progress with his ankle injury. 

Namibia and Kenya last met on October 25, 2019 in the World Cup T20 Africa qualifier with the South African nation winning by 87 runs. 

Monday (all times EAT)

Zimbabwe v Rwanda Wanderers Cricket Ground (10:30am)

Kenya v Namibia United Cricket Club Ground (10:30am)

Uganda v Nigeria United Cricket Club Ground (2:50pm)