Kenya off to Dubai for ICC World Championship
What you need to know:
- Kenya cricket team leave for Dubai Tuesday to compete in the ICC World Cricket League Championship against Scotland on December 6 and 8 at Dubai International Stadium.
- Kenya’s national team coach, Thomas Odoyo, Monday said that they will land at Abu Dhabi from where they will travel to Dubai by Road. He also said that the two friendly matches Kenya will play against Nepal and USA on Saturday and Sunday respectively will be at Abu Dhabi.
Kenya cricket team leave for Dubai Tuesday to compete in the ICC World Cricket League Championship against Scotland on December 6 and 8 at Dubai International Stadium.
Kenya’s national team coach, Thomas Odoyo, Monday said that they will land at Abu Dhabi from where they will travel to Dubai by Road. He also said that the two friendly matches Kenya will play against Nepal and USA on Saturday and Sunday respectively will be at Abu Dhabi.
Commenting on the ability of his charges, Odoyo said: “Even though Swamibapa’s opening batsman, Alex Obanda, is doing well on the Nairobi Provincial Cricket Association super league, he has had a bad patch in international assignments.
“The same goes for team captain Rakep Patel who turns up for Kanbis in the league. The two players could be very destructive to our opponents and if they get going early in the game, they are capable of changing the game in our favour.”
Obanda opens batting for Kenya with Irfan Karim, while Rakep bats in middle order. The other batsmen are former skipper, Collins Obuya, who did well against Netherlands in October, Nelson Odhiambo, Dhiren Gondaria, Rushabh Patel and Gurdeep Singh.
Nehemiah Odhiambo will spearhead bowling attack with either Emmanuel Bundi or Nelson Odhiambo. Other bowlers are Lucas Oluoch, Shem Ngoche and Pushpak Kerai.
Odoyo said that it is a fixture that Kenya must to book a place in next year’s 2019 World Cup qualifiers set for Zimbabwe in March. The World Cup will be jointly hosted by England and Wales.
Eight teams namely Netherlands (16 points) Papua New Guinea (16), Scotland (15), Hong Kong (14), Kenya (12), Nepal (9), Namiba (6) and UAE (6) are fighting for the four slots reserved for the group in Zimbabwe.
Full Squad:
Rakep Patel (Captain), Dhiren Gondaria (Kanbis),.Pushpak Kerai (Kanbis), Nelson Odhiambo (Kanbis), Rushabh Patel (Nairobi Gymkhana), Lucas Oluoch (Nairobi Gymkhana),Peter Koech (Nairobi Gymkhana), Irfan Karim (Swamibapa).Emmanuel Bundi (Swamibapa).Alex Obanda (Swamibapa), Collins Obuya (Stray Lions).Nehemiah Odhiambo (Stray Lions) Shem Obado (Stray Lions) and .Gurdeep Singh (Sikh Union).
Officials: Thomas Odoyo (coach), Peter Ongondo (assistant coach cum team manager) and Moses Ndungu (physiotherapist).
