The 7th place playoff between Eswatini Women and Lesotho Women in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup African Qualifiers Division Two 2025, takes place at the Botswana Cricket Association Oval 2 in Gaborone. Both teams have faced a tough journey in this tournament and will be eager to end their campaign on a positive note.
Neither Eswatini nor Lesotho Women have secured a win in this tournament so far, with both sides struggling against stronger opposition. Eswatini Women have endured heavy defeats, including a loss to Cameroon Women by 140 runs and to Mozambique Women by 88 runs. Similarly, Lesotho Women were bowled out for just 56 runs by Malawi Women and have found it challenging to post competitive totals throughout the qualifiers. Despite the losses, both teams have shown glimpses of resilience, with players striving for breakthroughs in each outing.
Squads:
Eswatini Women’s Cricket Team
Lethokuhle Gwebu, Lihle Shabalala, Ntombizini Gwebu, Shabalala Zinle, Lindokuhle Mamba, Mamba Nkosingiphile, Mbali Dlamini, Nothando Mabila, Winile Ginindza, Noncedo Simelane, Ntombizodwa Mkhatshwa, Lulama Simelane, Tenele Malinga, Tibusiso Dlamini
Lesotho Women’s Cricket Team
Kananelo Mabitle, Kananelo Molapo, Makopano Mabathoana, Nthatuoa Thekiso, Tshepang Khabo, Maneo Nyabela, Tanki Ramabitsa, Thato Mahe, Paballo Pheko, Thandi Kobeli, Boitumelo Phelenyane, Boitumelo Tlali, Mosa Tsemane, Ret’sepile Limema
Players to watch out:
Ntombizodwa Mkhatshwa
Ntombizodwa Mkhatshwa is a right-arm medium-fast bowler and right-handed batter from Eswatini, who plays for the Eswatini women’s national cricket team. In 23 T20Is she has accumulated 85 runs and in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Division 2 Qualifier, she has been good behind the stumps but departed cheaply for single-digit scores.
Mbali Dlamini
Mbali Dlamini is a right-handed batting and right-arm medium-fast bowling all-rounder and the skipper of Eswatini. While her batting includes handy contributions, her bowling role is significant, highlighted by her all-round capabilities in the 25 T20Is she has played so far, scoring 218 runs and picking up 17 wickets as well.
Kananelo Molapo
Kananelo Molapo is a right-handed batter from Lesotho, who plays for the Lesotho women’s national team. Still early in her career, in 14 T20Is Molapo has scored 103 runs with the bat, including the highest of 29, coming in one of her latest outings which is a positive sign for the Lesotho Women.
Maneo Nyabela
Maneo Nyabela is a right-arm medium pace bowler and the current captain of the Lesotho women’s national cricket team. Nyabela has scored 72 runs in 14 T20I outings and has also picked 13 wickets with the ball which shows her contribution in both the departments, primarily as a bowler. She is also known for her leadership and bowling abilities, playing a key role as an all-rounder.
Pitch:
Botswana Cricket Association Oval 2 in Gaborone features a hard and bouncy pitch that generally offers plenty of assistance to bowlers, especially pace bowlers early on in the match, with swing and seam movement making batting difficult. As the game progresses, spinners can also find support as the surface wears.
Weather:
The conditions in Gaborone are expected to be mostly dry and warm with a high around 26°C during the day, cooler in the evening near 6°C, light winds, very low chance of rain, and comfortable humidity.
Fantasy Playing XI:
Mamba Nkosingiphile, Mbali Dlamini, Ntombizodwa Mkhatshwa, Lulama Simelane, Tenele Malinga, Tibusiso Dlamini, Kananelo Molapo, Maneo Nyabela, Tanki Ramabitsa, Paballo Pheko, Boitumelo Phelenyane
Match Details:
Date – July 26, 2025
Time – 1:00 PM IST
Venue – Botswana Cricket Association Oval 2, Gaborone
Broadcast – The game will be live-streamed on the FanCode app and website.
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