ICC glory in sight for Dar girls

Blake Griffin of Los Angeles Clippers looks to pass under pressure from Mo Williams (left) and Thaddeus Young (right) of Minnesota Timberwolves during their NBA game at Staples Centre in Los Angeles, California on Monday where the Clippers defeated the Timberwolves 127 - 101. PHOTO | AFP
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The participating teams will play 20-overs matches in the morning and afternoon, according to the TCA.
Dar es Salam. The national women’s cricket team coach, Zulfikar Rehemtulla, says his squad has what it takes to make its presence felt at this year’s ICC Africa Women’s T20 Trophy tournament.
“We’ll make Tanzanians proud. I am confident enough to say that,” Rehemtulla said yesterday, shortly after the Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA) unveiled a 14-member squad for the championship.
This is a big call, given that the Tanzanian girls have just been whitewashed by the national Under-19 boys’ team in a friendly match.
But Rehemtulla’s thoughts are now for all of the team. “I think the team has a long way to go in lots of areas. That’s for sure,” he admitted.
However, he wants to focus on the positive. “They are certainly not lacking enthusiasm or endeavour. The players have got a lot of ability. It’s just a matter of them understanding what they’re doing, when they’re doing it, why they’re doing it.” The tournament, which was to take place in Kampala, Uganda from December 13 to 17, has been shifted to Benoni, South Africa. Team skipper Monica Pascal, one of the fast-rising female cricketers, is among the 14 young ladies making up the squad for what promises to be tough but exciting tournament.
Others are Mwanaidi Ibrahim, Hawa Salum, Fatuma Omary, Irene John, Zena Hassan, Malizia Salum, Asha Ibrahim, Mwajabu Hussein, Nasra Hamza, Tabu Omary, Hapiness Leonard, Kandida Laurent and Sophia Hemed.
Organised by Africa Cricket Association (ACA), the tournament brings together national women’s teams from six nations - Kenya, Namibia, Tanzania, Uganda, Zimbabwe and hosts South Africa.
The participating teams will play 20-overs matches in the morning and afternoon, according to the TCA.
The local players have been undergoing training at Dar es Salaam’s Muhimbili Cricket Academy for nearly a month now ahead of the event.
They will meet Kenya on December 13 in one of the opening matches which will see all six teams battle for a flying start. Hosts South Africa will confront Zimbabwe before Uganda takes on Namibia in other curtain-raisers.