Poor batting 'cost Kenya' victory against Uganda
What you need to know:
- Kenya, who finished third behind Uganda and Zimbabwe, returned home on Monday.
- Hosts Namibia settled for fourth position and Tanzania were last.
Kenya women’s cricket team manager, Lydia Kaparo, has said mistakes in batting cost the squad a place in Saturday’s final of ICC Africa Women’s World Twenty20 qualifier in Namibia.
Kaparo also said the squad did not play as a unit against Uganda in the second and third-place play-off match. Uganda won the match by three wickets on Friday and qualified to play Zimbabwe in the final at Kenya’s expense. Uganda went on to beat Zimbabwe by three wickets to claim Africa’s only slot in ICC Global Women’s T20 qualifiers.
She said: “My players did not give 100 per cent performance. We had a strong team but batters failed to post defendable figures on the scoreboard. Small mistakes here and there like misfielding, dropped catches and run outs cost us dearly.”
“Even though we lost, I’m happy for Uganda’s victory because at least an East African team has ended Zimbabwe’s domination in the tournament.”
Kenya, who finished third behind Uganda and Zimbabwe, returned home on Monday.
Hosts Namibia settled for fourth position and Tanzania were last.
Uganda caused a major upset when they beat Zimbabwe by three wickets to clinch the solitary position reserved for the continent in the ICC Global Women’s World Twenty20 qualifier, where the two finalists will qualify for the next year’s Women’s World Twenty20 set for West Indies from November 2-25.
Uganda’s team is coached by a Kenyan, Frank Otieno, but he did not travel with the girls to Namibia due to some technicalities on his travel document.
Zimbabwe topped the points table in the group matches and waited for a winner in the play-off for the second and third positions between Kenya and Uganda.
The match between the two East African sides was a thriller. Uganda edged out Kenya with the fifth ball of the allotted 20 overs.
Kenya batted first and scored 89 runs and in reply Uganda reached the target, 90 with the fifth ball of the last over.
In the final between Zimbabwe and Uganda, Zimbabwe scored 99 runs and Uganda reached the target, 100 with three wickets and three balls in hand.
The next biannual ICC Africa Women’s World Twenty20 qualifier will take place in 2019.
