Global Game: Tanzania make it to ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier

Action got underway last Tuesday, with Botswana claiming a clinical victory over Sierra Leone, as Karabo Motlhanka struck 74 (58) to carry Botswana to 157/5 in their 20 overs; Sierra Leone’s 14-year-old seamer George Sesay was the pick of their bowlers with 3/21 in 3 overs. The Sierra Leonean chase never got going and they were dismissed for just 85 in the 18th over. The afternoon game saw records tumble, as Tanzania made their official men’s T20I debut and recorded the highest-ever score for a team in their first match: 242/6 against Mozambique. Opting to bat first, it was opener Ivan Selemani’s top score of 81 (42) which set the tone, and put the match out of reach of the Mozambicans at the break. Their captain Filipe Cossa fought hard with 59 (32), but the Botswanan bowlers did enough to keep Mozambique to 155/9 in their 20.

Wednesday was also Cameroon’s debut in men’s T20Is, though it was rather less successful as Mozambique (and Francisco Couana specifically) put them to the sword. Inserted at the toss, Mozambique’s openers Couana and Jose Bulele started powerfully, reaching 145 in the 13th over before Bulele went for 59 (46). Couana continued undeterred, notching 104 off 51 (Mozambique's first men’s T20 century) to carry his side to 209/5. In Cameroon’s chase, Couana was again the destroyer as he recorded his nation’s first 5-wicket haul in men’s T20Is to help dismiss them for just 38. In four overs of right-arm medium pace, he scalped 5/19 as he became the only man to score a century and take 5 wickets in the same T20I. The afternoon match was rather less eventful as Tanzania cruised to an 8-wicket win over Sierra Leone. Choosing to bat at the toss, the Sierra Leoneans struggled again, with seamer Ally Kimote doing the damage for Tanzania with 3/25 in 4 as they were restricted to just 99/8 off their 20 overs. Ivan Selemani’s form continued in the chase, as he smashed 70* (35) to carry Tanzania past the target in just 10.5 overs.

After a rest day on Thursday, action resumed on Friday with Botswana thumping Cameroon in the morning game. Reginald Nehonde’s offspin was unplayable as he claimed 4/7 on the way to dismissing Cameroon for just 51 in 16 overs. Wicketkeeper Valentine Mbazo whalloped 31* (11), and Botswana reeled in the target inside 5 overs. Sierra Leone got off the mark in the afternoon match, as they overcame a low total from Mozambique. Opting to bat, the Mozambicans started solidly with Bulele (24 off 24) and Couana (25 off 18) reaching 38/0 in the 6th over; but the rest of the order failed to build on the start and young seamer George Sesay grabbed 4/11 in his 4 overs as they limped to 96/9 in 20. Sierra Leone’s chase wobbled early at 31/4 in the 8th over, with Couana (1/15 off 3) and Bulele (2/19 off 4) backing up with the ball, but Mozambique simply didn’t have enough on the board and Sierra Leonean skipper Lansana Lamin steadied the ship with 30* (26) to get his side home in the 18th over.

Saturday went much as expected, with frontrunners Botswana and Tanzania recording big wins over Mozambique and Cameroon respectively. In the morning game, Reginald Nehonde showed his quality with the bat as his 63 (51) took Botswana to 152/5, before he backed up with 4/27 in 4 overs to bundle out Mozambique for exactly 100 in 19.5 overs. In the afternoon, Tanzania racked up 240/5 with all of the top order making starts, and Kassim Nassoro’s frenetic 59* (19) the top score. Jatinkumar Darji’s 4/7 in 4 overs led Tanzania’s response with the ball, and Cameroon struggled to just 62 in 16.2 overs.

Sunday’s morning game was another heavy defeat for Cameroon, as Sierra Leone edged past Mozambique on the ladder. Opting to bat, Cameroon struggled to 89/9 in their 20 overs, before Sierra Leone knocked off the runs in 12.1 overs with 6 wickets in hand; seamer Bruno Ntoube battled gamely in the defence as he claimed 3/16 in 3 overs. The afternoon game between Botswana and Tanzania was a de facto final, with both sides equal on points and the winner qualifying to the regional finals. Tanzania posted 143 in 19.5 overs, with Botswanan legspinner Dhruv Maisuria grabbing 4/13 in 3.5 overs.

Botswana’s batting response was again led by Reginal Nehonde (37 off 42), and with a 49-run partnership with his opening partner Tharindu Perera, Botswana looked to be on track. But after a middle-order collapse sparked by Jitin Singh (3/35 off 3) and Jatinkumar Darji (2/26 off 3), Botswana were 108/7 in the 18th. Thatayaone Tshose smashed 21* (9) to drag his side back into contention, and there was drama aplenty in the last over. Tshohe hit a six and a four to get the equation down to 6 off the last delivery, but could only hoick a single to the fielder at cow corner. But it was a no-ball, bringing the requirement down to 4 off the last delivery, which was now to be a free hit. Phemelo Silas swung a slog sleep out to cow corner, where it was caught as the batters ran a single, but they couldn’t manage another run and Tanzania celebrated a famous win over a side 10 places higher on the MRF Tyres ICC Men's T20I Rankings. The victory sees them join Kenya, Nigeria and Uganda in the Africa regional final, to be played from the 15th-21st of November, where the winner progresses to the global qualifiers early next year.

Global Game is a collaboration between the ICC andEmerging Cricket.