WORLD T20 QUALIFIER: Botswana’s Baggy Blues on the Rise скачать в хорошем качестве

WORLD T20 QUALIFIER: Botswana’s Baggy Blues on the Rise

For any ICC Associate Member, qualifying for a World Cup is a remarkable achievement. Botswana is one such nation daring to dream, hoping to defy the odds and carve out a piece of cricketing history. Although Botswana is a relatively young cricketing nation—having gained Associate Membership only 20 years ago—the sport’s roots in the country stretch back much further. Cricket was first played there in 1870, and the Botswana Cricket Association was formally established in 1979. Today, the Baggy Blues are guided by Zimbabwean coach Stanley Timoni, a proven winner who once became the first coach to claim a domestic treble in Zimbabwe’s league with the Eagles. Under his leadership, Botswana is striving to make its mark on the global stage. The team is one of eight sides competing in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Region Qualifier, held in Zimbabwe from September 28 to October 4. Only the top two finishers will advance to the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka—an opportunity that could redefine the sport’s profile in Botswana. To get a deeper sense of cricket’s rise in the country of 2.5 million people, I spoke with Botswana captain Karabo Motlhanga, who made his first-class debut in Zimbabwe with the Tuskers. He shared his perspective on the team’s growth, their ambitions, and what qualification would mean for Botswana.