The Botswana Ladies Cricket team has emerged from a two week camp upbeat ahead of the 7th edition of the Botswana Cricket Association Ladies Annual International T20 Tournament slated for August 24th to 27th at the BCA Oval Grounds.
Botswana which will be hosting Namibia, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia, Gauteng XI will complete the sextet contest for the international honours.
BCA Public Relations Officer, Sumod Damador, explained that from 2011 the tournament was between four nations and in 2016 they introduced four more nations to make it eight. He said the upcoming tournament had catered for eight nations, but due to internal formalities Malawi and Lesotho withdraw at the last minute. The most tragic withdrawal was that of Sierra Leone, due to natural disaster that hit the country witling down this year’s tournament to only six nations.
“We changed the name of the tournament to ‘BCA Ladies Annual International T20 Tournament’ due to the withdrawals of other nations but that will not affect anything in regard to the tournament,” Damador said.
He told Sunday Standard Sports that the Botswana Ladies cricket team is ready; they have been in a 2 week camp just for preparation for this tournament. Only their performance on the field will verify how prepared they are. “We believe in our players and all they have to do is believe in themselves as well,” said Damador.
He surely has no doubt that the BW team will fight a good fight on the field, as from the beginning of the tournament they have won twice changing the title with the nation of Namibia. The event this year will feature Namibia, Mozambique, Swaziland, Zambia, Gauteng XI along with Botswana, expecting nations to arrive on the 21st of this month.
The ladies will also have the privilege to interact with the BCA invited Mentor Umpire, Mr Shaun George from South Africa, who is on the ICC Elite Panel of Umpires and who officiated in the Finals between England & India in the recently concluded Women’s World Cup in England.