Hosts Botswana were the big winners on day three of the ICC WorldTwenty20 Africa C Qualifiers, as they helped themselves to two victories.
They started off the morning with an 81-run triumph over the plucky St Helena, a win which was built upon a 50 from skipper Karabo Motlhanka, on the way to a total of 144 for five. In response, the islanders produced their worst batting display thus far, as they were bowled out for just 63.
Nabil Master took three for 10 upfront, while Mmoloki Mooketsi wrapped up the tail with three for 5. Before that, Adithiya Rangaswamy was miserly, conceding just 3 runs in three overs, with two wickets.
In their second match, Botswana held off a spirited Malawian team by 15 runs. Contributions from Z Abbas (36) and V Balakrishnan (46) saw them post a workmanlike 158 for five before Sami Sohail almost held the Malawian chase together.
Ultimately, Botswana’s death bowling saw them home and ended a most satisfactory day.
Elsewhere, Malawi’s Mohamed Abdulla took six for 12 in a remarkable spell, to bowl out Swaziland for 99. Abdulla took three wickets in five balls, as he stopped the Swazis in their tracks.
Chasing 100 to win, veteran Muhammad Khurram scored 35 not out, while Sohail chipped in with 30 not out, to see them home by eight wickets.
In the final match of the day, Mozambique secured a comfortable, 66-run victory over Lesotho. Half-centuries by Imran Ismail and Felipe Cossa saw Mozambique climb to 183 for eight. Ismail blitzed 55 off 35 balls upfront, with eight fours and two sixes. Cossa then smashed five sixes and four fours in a brutal 59 off just 29 balls.
Mthimkulu Leporoporo was the lone soldier for Lesotho, with excellent figures of five for 24, amidst the carnage in the chase, Lesotho skipper Sameer Patel struck 36 off 28 balls, but it wasn’t nearly enough.
Cossa helped himself to three for 11, to seal an excellent individual performance.
Follow all the action live through https://www.icc-cricket.com/live-cricket/live
Highlights and interviews from match day 2 below,
https://www.icc-cricket.com/video/894524
https://www.icc-cricket.com/video/894522
Scores in brief
Botswana 144-5 (K Motlanka 50)
St Helena 63 ( N Master 3-10, M Mooketsi 3-5)
Botswana won by 81 runs
Botswana 158-5 (V Balakrishnan 46, Z Abbas 36)
Malawi 143-7 (S Sohail 56)
Botswana won by 15 runs
Mozambique 183-8 (F Cossa 59, I Ismail 55, M Leporoporo five for 24)
Lesotho 117-7 (S Patel 36, F Cossa three for 11)
Mozambique won by 66 runs
Swaziland 99 (M Abdulla six for 12)
Malawi 104-2 (M Khurram 35 not out, S Sohail 30 not out)
Malawi won by eight wickets
Points Table
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Photo: ICC
