Cricket: World Cup sub regional Group B qualifiers kick off
Monday, November 01, 2021
The ICC Menu2019s T20 Sub Regional World Cup Qualifier Group B tip off in Kigali on Tuesday, November 2. / Dan Nsengiyumva

Day 1

Tuesday’s fixtures

Botswana v Sierra Leone (9.15 am)

Tanzania v Mozambique (1.45 pm)

The ICC Men’s T20 Sub Regional World Cup Qualifier Group B tip off in Kigali on Tuesday, November 2, for the tournament to produce the lone slot for the final round of the World Cup Africa Qualifiers.

The Group B qualifiers, which run until Sunday, November 7, has attracted five countries including Botswana, Cameroon, Mozambique, Tanzania and Sierra Leone.

Botswana, who come into the qualifiers as the best ranked side in the ICC Men's T20I ladder, and Tanzania are the two sides regarded as favorites to come out on the top of Group B of the qualifiers.

However, Botswana head coach Joseph Angara said that the ‘favorites’ tag means nothing until his side secures a ticket to progress to the final rounds.

"Of course we are ready but he won’t take any team lightly. We are going to do our best to secure the ticket,” Angara told journalists on Monday.

Unlike the just-concluded Group A qualifiers which were held at both IPRC Kigali Oval and Gahanga Cricket Stadium, the latter is the sole venue that will host all Group B fixtures over the course of a week.

Gahanga-based international cricket facility will be hosting four qualifying fixtures per day.

The team that will finish top of Group B of the qualifiers will join Uganda, Nigeria and Kenya in the final rounds of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier which Kigali will also host from November 15-21.

The winner of the qualifier will represent Africa in the World Cup scheduled to be played in October and November 2022 in Australia.

Originally, the tournament was to be held in 2020, however, in July 2020, the International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that the tournament had been postponed, due to the Covid-19 pandemic. In August 2020, the ICC confirmed that Australia would host the rearranged tournament in 2022.