Karim inspires Kenya past Rwanda in 2024 World Cup qualifier
Kenya's batsman Irfan Karim (left) bats under pressure from Nepal's Wicketkeeper Aarif Sheikh during their first of the five International Twenty20 Cricket match at Nairobi Gymkhana ground on August 25, 2022.
What you need to know:
- The top two teams at the end of the round-robin tournament will qualify for the upcoming World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States of America and West Indies tentatively from June 4 to 30.
- Karim top-scored with 63 runs from 43 balls including five fours and a six in the match held at United Cricket Club Ground.
Batsman Irfan Karim on Wednesday produced a man-of-the-match performance as Kenya beat Rwanda by 17 runs to make a perfect start to their qualifying campaign to the 2024 International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup.
Seven teams including Zimbabwe, Namibia, Uganda, Nigeria and Tanzania are featuring in the Africa Regional qualifier in Windhoek, Namibia.
The top two teams at the end of the round-robin tournament will qualify for the upcoming World Cup to be co-hosted by the United States of America and West Indies tentatively from June 4 to 30.
Karim top-scored with 63 runs from 43 balls including five fours and a six in the match held at United Cricket Club Ground.
In the other contest held at Wanderers Cricket Ground, Uganda defeated Tanzania by eight wickets. Rwanda’s captain Clinton Rubagumya said since the pitch at United Cricket Club Ground “looked flat”, they opted to field because they wanted to secure a score that they could successfully chase.
Kenya, who went into the match looking to maintain their dominance over their neighbours, set a target of 154 runs for the loss of two wickets in 20 overs of their innings.
Though they put up a spirited fight, Rwanda were not lucky as they managed 137 runs for the loss of four wickets in 20 overs of their innings.
“I always say that we are on a journey. We may not have won, but we analyse ourselves, are we actually improving? I think it is,” said Rubagumya in the post-match interview.
Kenya’s stand-in captain Lucas Ndandason said: “Being our first game in a very long time, I think the boys are pulling up well. In T20, anything can happen. It was a flat deck towards the end, easy to bat but I think the boys did well.”
Kenyan captain Rakep Patel retired hurt after delivering just one run from two balls. It was the combined score of 61 runs between opening batsman Collins Obuya and third batsman Karim that proved crucial for coach Lameck Onyango’s side.
Obuya’s opening partner Rushab Patel left the crease in the seventh over with 21 runs and three fours to his name from the 22 balls he faced.
Thanks to the strong partnership with Karim who was not out, Obuya, who was dismissed in the 14th over, hit half a century off 47 balls including four fours and three sixes. Shem Ngoche, who was Kenya’s other batsman in the match, hit eight runs from the seven balls that he faced including a four.
Rushab Patel was caught by Martin Akayezu off Emile Rukiriza bowling, while Obuya was caught by Zappy Biyenyimana off Rubagumya bowling. Opening batsman Orchinde Tuyisenge was Rwanda’s top scorer with 56 runs from 44 balls including five fours and three sixes.
He was dismissed in the 12th over after being stamped by Karim off Pushkar Sharma’s bowling.
In their next match on Thursday, Kenya will face Nigeria at United Cricket Grounds from 10:30am Kenyan time. Favourites Zimbabwe will clash with Tanzania at the same venue from 2:50pm Kenyan time.
