Global Game: USA win ICC Women's T20 World Cup Americas Qualifier

The Desert Springs facility in Almería, Spain, last Tuesday saw the continuation of the European regional final. In the morning match against Denmark, Grant Stewart was the difference for Italy, as his 51 (31) carried them to 141/4 in their allotted overs. Surya Anand fought hard down the order for Denmark with 36 (26), but it wasn’t enough and the Danes ended 9 runs short at 132/9.

In the afternoon match, Jersey asserted themselves over nearest rivals Germany. Legspinner Ben Ward’s 4/18 helped to bundle out the Germans for 85, and top-order pair Zak Tribe and Jonty Jenner both hit 25 to anchor a steady chase with 17 deliveries and four wickets in hand.

Wednesday went largely as expected, with Jersey again too good for Italy. A disciplined team bowling effort kept Italy to 100/8 in their 20, before openers Harrison Carlton (35 off 30) and Jake Dunford (45* off 53) cruised home in the chase with 8 wickets and 10 balls to spare. Next, Germany recorded their second win over Denmark thanks to Michael Richarson’s 61* (53) carrying them to 119/5 (despite the best efforts of Saif Ahmad, with 3/12 in 4 overs). Regular wickets to Muslim Yar (3/25 in 4) in the defence bowled out the Danes for 107.

Thursday’s last match day saw Italy get one over Germany, though they fell short of qualifying due to Net Run Rate. After Dylan Blignaut’s 4/18 (including the first men’s T20I hattrick for Germany), Italy were kept to 117, meaning that they needed to restrict the Germans to 91 or below to overtake them on NRR and claim the second qualifying place at the Europe final. Dieter Klein’s 28* (18) was enough to lift Germany past the NRR target, despite an impressively tidy spell from Madupa Fernando (2/15 off 4), and Germany secured their place at the Global Qualifiers next year as they finished at 116/6 in their 20. Italy claimed the consolation win by 1 run. Denmark produced another improved effort in the afternoon game against Jersey, with Delawar Khan’s 40* (27) taking them to 130/6 off 20 overs, but they were flattened by Jonty Jenner in the chase. Jenner smashed 96* (66) to get the Jerseymen home in the 19th over; they finished the competition at the top of the table.

Uganda win ICC Africa T20 World Cup Group A Qualifiers

Over in Africa, and Uganda asserted themselves over six regional rivals as they sailed through to the Africa final, scheduled for mid-November. After two dominant victories in the first week, their campaign continued on Tuesday last week as they thrashed Lesotho - seamer Dinesh Nakrani grabbed 6/7 (the equal-best bowling figures in men’s T20Is) to bowl them out for just 26, and Uganda reached the target inside 4 overs. Meanwhile, their closest rivals Ghana walked home against Malawi, with Daniel Anefie’s 3/10 keeping them to 95/8 in 20 overs (Gershom Ntambalika’s 41 off 33 receiving scant support from his teammates) before they cruised home in 12 overs. The afternoon games saw Uganda’s march continue, and Rwanda pummel the Seychelles. Uganda bowled well to dismiss Eswatini for 72, with the ever-miserly offspinner Frank Nsubuga grabbing 3/9 in his 4 overs. Melusi Magagula (3/25 off 4) fought gamely in the defence, but Uganda walked their chase in 12.1 overs with 6 wickets in hand. Meanwhile at the Gahanga stadium, the hosts piled on 196/4 against the Seychelles, with Orchide Tusiyenge (100* off 60) recording his nation’s first century in men’s T20Is. In response the Seychelles crumbled to 23/5 in the 9th over, before the African rains interrupted the game and saw them lose by 78 runs on the DLS calculations.

Wednesday morning saw Malawi bounce back against the Seychelles, as Sami Sohail hit 84* (66) to carry his team to 142/2 in 20 overs. He then picked up 2/12 with the ball as the Seychelles were bowled out for 121 in the 20th over (Stephen Madusanka’s 27 off 20 the only resistance). Ghana meanwhile recorded a comfortable win against Eswatini, with Obed Harvey’s 3/12 off 4 keeping them to just 74/9. Ghana had no trouble reaching victory in the 11th over with 3 wickets in hand. In the afternoon Eswatini missed out against the Seychelles in a rain-shortened affair. With 16 overs available to each side, Eswatini posted 128/7 thanks to 51 (31) from Muhammad Amin. But Stephen Mudusanka carried the Seychellois home with 43* (35) as they crossed the line with 7 wickets and 4 deliveries in hand.
Uganda came out with bragging rights in Thursday’s top-of-the-table clash against Ghana, as opener Saud Islam’s 67 (54) took them to 176/6 in their 20 overs. Rexford Bakum toiled hard with 4/29 in 4, but lacked support. In response, Ghana were bundled out for 97 thanks to a tidy team effort from Uganda’s bowlers, led once again by Frank Nsubuga with 2/11 in 4 disciplined overs. Across town at the IPRC ground, Rwanda were comfortable winners in an 11-over slogfest against Lesotho; the hosts posted 102/8 thank

s to Subhasis Samal’s 31 (17), and former Western Province offspinner Emmanuel Sebareme showed his worth with 3/17 to restrict the Basotho to 80/7 in their allotment.

On Friday morning Rwanda won again, with Martin Akayezu’s 4/9 helping bowl out Eswatini for just 77, before Orchide Tusiyenge’s 37 (21) carried an easy chase just 3 wickets down after 8 overs. Malawi also recorded another win, over Lesotho, in a 15-over affair as they recorded 123/4, thanks to a team effort with five of the six batters used making at least 15. Lesotho’s response stumbled to 101/7 as Moazzam Baig grabbed 3/9 in his 3 overs. In the afternoon match Malawi finished off strongly against the hosts, Donnex Kansonkho’s 54 (65), combined with 25 extras helping to carry Malawi to 139/2 in their 20. In response Rwanda were never in the chase as they were dismissed for 115 in the 19th over. It was a disappointing end to the hosts, who could well have been expected to challenge for second place behind Uganda, who finished top of the table. They sealed top spot with another big win, thrashing the Seychelles by 95 runs as a collective batting effort (6 of the top 7 made it into double figures) took them to 164/5 in 20. Dinesh Nakrani then made more history as he claimed his second five wicket haul (5/8 off 4), including Uganda’s first hattrick in men’s T20Is. The Seychellois were kept to 69/9 in their 20.
The Group B subregional competition - which determines the final two slots in the regional final - is scheduled for the 2nd to the 7th of November, and is set to feature Botswana, Cameroon, Mozambique, Sierra Leone and Tanzania.

USA wrap up qualification for ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier

Finally, in Mexico the USA wrapped up qualification to next year’s ICC Women's World Twenty20 Qualifier, as they sailed through the group stage with 5 wins from 6 matches.
Starting at the Reforma Club in Naucalpan, just outside Mexico City, last Monday, the Americans got off the mark against Brazil with a new-look side (six debutantes played in the first match) as UK-based seamer Tara Norris headlined the bowling with 2/5 in her 4 overs. Brazil were kept to just 63/8 on a challenging surface; middle-order bat Renata de Souza provided obdurate resistance with 13* (55). The US response went largely according to plan as skipper Sindhu Sriharsha guided the chase home in the 17th over with 25* (45), despite a good fielding effort from Brazil to take 4 wickets. Monday’s afternoon game saw Canada make a clinical start against Argentina, with former Kenya international Divya Saxena’s 70* (70) carrying them to 134/3 in their 20. Seamer Saniyah Zia claimed 3/9 in her 4 overs to keep Argentina to 62/9.

On Tuesday morning, Argentina sank to an ignominious low against Brazil, as they were bowled out for just 12 with the Brazilians again impressive in the field as they claimed every chance that went near them. The chase was done inside 4 overs, though Tamara Basile grabbed 2/6 to burnish her personal record. Tuesday afternoon was an emphatic win the Americans, as Canada could manage only 70/9. Young seamer Suhani Thadani’s 2/7 off 4 led the bowling for USA, and fellow newcomer Gargi Bhogle hit 39* (37) at the top of the order to ensure a 10-wicket victory in 10.5 overs.

After a break on Wednesday, Argentina again struggled on Thursday morning against the USA, as the experienced Shebani Baskar top-scored with 29 (42) on their way to 114 in 19.1 overs. Alison Stocks led an improved bowling effort with 3/13 in her 4 overs, but her colleagues couldn’t back her up with the bat. Argentina were kept to 58/8, with Suhani Thadani again in the wickets with 4/6. In the afternoon game Brazil made history as they knocked off Canada in a tense chase. The Canadians batted first and collapsed to 47, with Nicole Monteiro grabbing 4/6 in her 4 overs, before skipper Roberta Moretti Avery’s composed 17 (44) steadied the chase to help Brazil home in the 19th over.

Canada bounced back on Friday morning to thump Argentina, with the South Americans kept to 59/9 in their 20 overs before Divya Saxena was again in the runs with 39* (39) to steer the chase home within 11 overs and only 1 wicket down. In the afternoon, the USA once again stamped their authority against Brazil, scoring 89/6 in their 20 (Laura Cardoso’s 3/24 the best effort from Brazil), before a miserly bowling performance (led by Sara Farooq’s 3/8 off 4) restricted Brazil to just 46/9 in their 20 overs.

Sunday saw Canada pull off the upset of the tournament by beating the USA - their first victory over their Southern neighbours in a women’s match since 2010. Divya Saxena was again key, hitting 40 (45) to carry them to 85/4 in 20 overs. In the chase, the Americans were derailed by Hala Azmat’s 4/15, and they struggled to just 78/7 in their 20 overs. The afternoon match was another comfortable victory to Brazil, who posted 79/7 in their 20 overs before the Argentinean chase was interrupted by rain 15 overs in. At 42/3 they were 14 runs behind the DLS equation and Brazil were declared winners.

Sunday’s morning game was another stunning victory to Brazil, who edged out Canada in a scarcely-believable last-over defence of 3 runs. Sent in to bat at the toss, Brazil crawled to just 48/7 in 17 overs (after the start was delayed due to rain). Hiba Shamshad was the best of the Canadian bowlers with 3/8 off 4. Canada’s response looked to be on track as Mukhwinder Gill hit a crucial 19 (29) to steady the nerves, and they needed just 3 runs with 5 wickets in hand going into the last over. But after a dot on the first ball, Krima Kapadia was run out for 9 on the second, then bowler Laura Cardoso (3/8 off 3) grabbed Brazil’s first T20I hattrick to leave Canada, now 9-down, still needing 3 off the last delivery. In a mad scramble for the runs they only added a single to the score before Gill was run out, making Brazil the first team in international cricket to take 5 wickets in an over. After the excitement of the morning game, Brazil needed an unlikely upset from Argentina in the afternoon to get them to first place on the table (and with it, the only qualifying slot). But the USA made no mistakes, bundling Argentina out for 47 (Moksha Chaudhary claiming 3/7 in 4) and chasing inside 7 overs with all 10 wickets in hand.

Global Game is a collaboration between the ICC andEmerging Cricket.