Kenya moved closer to qualifying for the ICC Twenty20 World Cup when it won one of the two slots reserved for the continent in the Africa Region Final in Kampala on Friday.
Kenya were scheduled to fight it out with Namibia for the top position on the points table, but downpour at Kyambogo Oval saw the match abandoned. They tied on the table with eight points apiece, but the former had a superior net run to win the event. Nevertheless, they both qualified for the October 11-November 3 global World Cup qualifier in Dubai.
This was Kenya’s best show in the qualifier since 2007, when they made it to the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa.
In Dubai, 14 nations will tussle for the six qualifying spots for the Twenty20 World Cup, which will run from October 6 to November 15, 2020, in Australia.
National coach Maurice Odumbe and his charges have put a smile on the faces of many Kenyans; however, the battle is not over. The team now needs a conducive environment to prepare well since the standards in Dubai will be higher than in Kampala.
This comes at a time when persistent wrangles have subsided with Jackie Janmohammed, who resigned in February as Cricket Kenya chairperson, reclaiming her position on May 11 after a High Court ruling. The wrangles are blamed for the poor results at the World Cricket League Division Three in Oman last November, when Kenya was relegated to the new World Challenge League.
Janmohammed and her executive team should quickly put in place short-term programmes to ensure Kenya play in Australia.
The new CK office ought to reclaim Kenya’s cricket glory and win back the confidence of players and corporate sponsors. The team’s performance shows cricket is on the road to recovery.
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