By Sunday Standard Reporter

Copyright sundaystandard

In the parlance of cricket, a ripper means a breathtaking piece of play, be it ‘a catch, ball or stroke,’ that gets spectators sit up and take notice.

This is what the Botswana men’s senior cricket national team, the Baggy Blues, intends to do as they head to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier Finals. To make Batswana and the world sit up and take notice!

Botswana goes to the tournament with less pressure. They are the underdogs. The Baggy Blues will have to beat a fierce competition from seven other countries. These include hosts Zimbabwe, Namibia, Malawi, Tanzania, Uganda, Kenya and Nigeria.

On paper, some of these countries, the likes of Zimbabwe, and Uganda, just to name two they will face in group stages, should have it easy. The Baggy Blues are however not in the least daunted by the teams they will face.

In the words of Botswana Cricket Association (BCA) president Sumod Damodar, the Baggy Blues will go into the games with no or little pressure. “We have instilled it on the boys to have no pressure.”

“The pressure is on the teams we are playing against. They are ranked above us and expectation is for them to beat us. They have more to lose. All the boys need to do is to play their game and follow what the coaches tell them to do.”

Damodar is adamant that the Baggy Blues will not let the names on the other teams to intimidate them. “Names are immaterial. What the boys need to know is that they are playing against mere mortals like themselves. They do not have to look at the like of Sikandar Raza as if they are aliens with more feet and hands than they have. They have to believe and know these people can have off days like any other player,” he says.

Botswana’s hope is buoyed by the fact that they have, at one point or another, played against these teams. In 2002 Africa Cup, Botswana managed to go past the likes of Zimbabwe, Namibia and Kenya and reach the finals, where they lost to South Africa.

Even more encouraging is that the games come in the wake of Botswana athletes stunning the world at the World Athletics Championships. BCA hopes the Baggy Blues can do the same, take the leaf out of Botswana’s track and field stars’ performances and do what many believe is not possible against the big boys.

As one would expect, the mood in the camp is upbeat. The cricketers understand they are on the verge of history. “The players, more especially the core, who have been in the team for a long time now understand that this is the closest we have ever come to qualifying for the World Cup.”

“Finishing in the top two will mean qualifying for the next ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in 2027. They want to grab this opportunity with both hands. You can see the glint in their eyes. They are excited but are very focussed,” Damodar says.

The Baggy Blues open their T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier Finals against Tanzania on Friday, 26th September. After that, they will face hosts Zimbabwe on the 28th September and close the group stages with an encounter against Uganda on Botswana’s Independence Day, September 30th 2025.

Prior to these crucial encounters, Botswana will play two warm up matches against Namibia and Malawi. The games will be played in the same pitches which will host the qualifiers in Zimbabwe.

“The games are just meant to give the team a feel of the pitches as well as the ambience. For us, results will not matter. What matters is that they use these games to improve and get in shape for the tournament,” Damodar explains.

The fifteen players who will be in the Baggy Blues team are; Karabo Motlhanka (Captain), Reginald Nehonde, Abednico Motshegetsi, Karabo Modise, Monroux Kasselman (Wicket Keeper), Losika Magale, Thatayaone Tshose (vice-captain), Tharindu Perera, Katlo Piet, Boemo Khumalo, Alfred Kgosiemang, Botlhe Keganne, Dhruvkumar Maisuria, Vinoo Balakrishnan and Jack Richards. The team is coached by Stanley Timoni, who is assisted by James Moses.