Kenya Women emerge victorious in ICC - Africa Division II Qualifier

Flavia Odhiambo was the pick of the bowlers with 4/10 in 3.2 overs as Kenya Women wrapped up Botswana for just 52 runs in 14.2 overs to go on to win the ICC 2023 Women T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier – Division 2 tournament at the Botswana Cricket Association Oval 1 by 9 wickets this evening.

In reply, there could only be one better outcome for Kenya who made quick work of the chase in just 49 balls to sail through the tournament unbeaten in five matches. Daisy Njoroge remained unbeaten on a 24 – ball 26, inclusive of three boundaries while Queentor Abel added 13 off 19 to the tally before Goabilwe Matome knocked over her stumps in the 6^th over to gift the hosts their sole consolation wicket.

 

Flavia Odhiambo was the Player of the match for her 4/10.

Fielding first for only the second time in the tournament, the Kenyan bowlers were merciless, restricting Botswana to 2/10 at the close of the power play, courtesy of the Idambo sisterhood of Lavendah and Melvin banding pace and spin to produce one - a - piece. Not relenting, the evergreen Queentor Abel spun her way to 2 wickets off 3 balls in the sixth over to pile on the misery for the hosts who were left reeling at 4/20 after 6 overs.

An attempt to rebuild by Florence Samanyika earned her the highest and the only double digit score of the innings with 22 off 23 balls but she could only add 15 runs to the fifth wicket alongside Oratile Kgeresi before Melvin Khagoitsa snapped her up as Abel’s thirteenth and final victim of the tournament. Botswana could only add 17 runs from hereon for their final five wickets, courtesy of Odhiambo’s bowling masterpiece that earned her the player of the match accolades.

Abel gifted her bowler of the match trophy to pace sensation Lavendah Idambo who rallied second with eleven wickets.

Abel finished on 3/10 off 4 overs to wrap up the tournament as the highest wicket taker with thirteen wickets from five innings. Her batting prowess at the top of the order that included a century and two half centuries earned her the top run scorer award with 238 runs and a top strike rate of 149.68 from 5 innings. Her opening partner, Daisy Njoroge, came a close second on the batting charts with 173 runs from 5 innings and the tournament's best batting average of 86.50 runs.

By virtue of winning their respective semi final fixtures, both teams qualified for the ICC 2023 Women T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier – Division 1 tournament slated for 7th - 18th December, 2023 in Entebbe, Uganda.