Kenya hammer Botwana to win Div 2 qualifiers

Kenya on Friday clinched the 2023 International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s T20 World Cup, Africa Regional Division Two qualifiers’ title.

In the final held on Friday at the Botswana Cricket Oval in Gaborone, coach Francis Otieno’s girls made light work of the hosts, winning the title after a nine-wicket romp.

That resounding victory ensured Kenya won all the five matches in the competition that attracted eight teams.

Malawi, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, Mozambique, Cameroon and Eswatini are the other countries that took part in the competition, which was the qualifier to the Africa Regional finals slated for later this year.

By virtue of reaching the competition’s final, both Kenya and Botswana qualified for the Africa Regional finals where Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania and Zimbabwe lie in wait.

The Africa Regional Division Two qualifiers’ final was a repeat of the opening Group “A” match where Kenya thrashed Botswana by 111 runs.

The hosts stood no chance of avenging that defeat since Kenya’s players have been impressive throughout the tournament.

Botswana won the toss and elected to bat first but a superb bowling by the East Africans saw them set a low target of 52 runs all-out in 14.2 overs in their innings.

In reply, Kenya strolled to victory with 53 runs for the loss of one wicket in 8.1 overs of their innings. Only middle-order batswoman Florence Samanyika managed a double digit score for the hosts - 22 runs off 23 balls including four fours.

Opening batswoman Daisy Njoroge, who is among the players who have been outstanding for Kenya, was not-out and top-scored with 26 runs from 24 balls including three overs.

Her opening, batting partner Queentor Abel who has been crowned the woman-of-the-match four times in the tournament, delivered 13 runs from 19 balls including two fours, while Mary Mwangi, who was also not-out, hit three runs from the six balls that she faced.

Flavia Odhiambo took the most wickets for Kenya at four followed by Abel who took three. Lavendah Idambo and Melvin Idambo took one wicket each.

On their path to the final, Kenya also beat Malawi and Lesotho by seven wickets and 208 runs respectively in Group “A”.

Otieno’s side thrashed Cameroon by 118 runs in the semi-final.

Botswana finished second behind Kenya in the pool with four points, having made amends for their loss to the East Africans with a 173–run victory over Lesotho and a five-run romp over Malawi.

They beat Sierra Leone by 17 runs in the other semi-final.

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