26 May 2026

The Botswana senior men’s cricket team, affectionately known as the Baggy Blues, are gearing up for a tough test on May 28 as they face Côte d’Ivoire at the BCA Oval 1.

Fully locked in on securing their fourth consecutive victory, the hosts look to maintain their perfect record in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Africa Qualifier A.

In an interview, head coach, Stanley Timoni acknowledged that Côte d’Ivoire was a highly competitive side, but emphasised the team’s laser focus.

For Botswana to guarantee qualification, they need to win all six of their tournament matches and finish first in the group. “We have played three and we are left with three including Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya and Rwanda. We are now focusing entirely on the next match,” Timoni said.

Looking at their current form, commitment and home-ground advantage, the Baggy Blues are well-positioned to continue their dominance.

Timoni said he was satisfied with his team’s performance so far and praised their dedication as they navigated the campaign in each game.

Botswana kicked off their flawless 3-0 start by making their intentions clear in the opening match, defeating Sierra Leone by 70 runs after posting an impressive 166/5 and restricting the visitors to 96/7. Capitalising on home turf, they followed up with a 10-wicket victory over Mali.

On Monday, the hosts secured another commanding 71-run win against Cameroon. Choosing to bat first, Botswana posted a solid 149/5 in their allocated 20 overs, while Cameroon struggled for momentum and was choked out at a meagre 78/8.

With three games down, Botswana must now navigate their remaining fixtures against Côte d’Ivoire, Kenya and Rwanda.

The high-stakes tournament features seven competing nations in total, including Cameroon, Mali and Sierra Leone.

The stakes could not be higher for the participating sides. The top two teams from the qualifier would advance to the ICC 2027 Africa Regional Final, where they would clash with higher-ranked regional sides for a coveted ticket to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2028. ENDS