EAST African Community teams Kenya, Uganda, Rwanda and Tanzania are among eight teams engaged in the race for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Q ualifier just started in Harare, Zimbabwe over the weekend.
Under national coach Hamis Abdallah, the Tanzania national team will tomorrow face Nigeria in Group A that also involves hosts Zimbabwe, Mozambique and their EAC rivals Rwanda. Abdallah told the ‘Daily News’ from Zimbabwe yesterday that his team is ready for the tough fight as they aim to qualify for the world-class finals.
The team arrived in Harare on Thursday ready for the Sunday’s official opening of the event. The coach Abdallah said they are placed against tough opponents, but he is optimistic the players will clear all the hurdles they will face and position themselves at a better ground when the event winds up on May 13th.
They will take on Nigeria in their second match after their opener against Zimbabwe later yesterday.
Tanzania bet on its experienced players such as Fatuma Kibasu, Monica Pascal, Linda Massawe, Tatu Shabani, Neema Pius, Saum Mtae and Tabu Omary.
Others involved in the mission are Hudaa Omary, Shufaa Mohamedi, Nasra Saidi, Zinaida Finkili, Nuru Tindo, Perice Mamunya, Getrude Mushi. Do they excel in Zimbabwe, the Tanzanian envoys will qualify for the 2020 World Cup slot.
Abdallah said the team has trained intensively in Dar es Salaam for two months under himself and his assistant Riziki Kiseto in their bid for the top honour.
Other EAC countries; Kenya and Uganda are pooled in group B that also includes Namibia and Sierra Leone. Uganda are looking to defend the title they won in Windhoek, Namibia in 2017.
According to organisers, the tournament will be looking to build on an excellent run of Africa in the event after a dramatic Under-19 tournament in Namibia, as well as the coming Men’s T20 World Cup, Africa finals tournament to be staged in Uganda later this month.
