Botswana national cricket team

Infobox non test cricket team
country_name = Botswana

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image_caption = Flag of Botswana
icc_member_year = 2001
icc_status = Associate Member
icc_region = Africa
current_captain = Tshepo Mhozya
WCL_division = Five
regional_tournament = World Cricket League Africa Region
regional_tournament_division = Two
first_match = 2 September 2002 v Zambia at Lusaka, Zambia
world_ranking = 29th (equal with four other teams)
regional_ranking = 5th
asofdate = 3 August | 2007

The Botswana national cricket team is the team that represents the country of Botswana in international cricket matches. They have been an associate member of the International Cricket Council since 2005, after previously being an affiliate member since 2001. [http://www.cricketarchive.co.uk/Archive/Countries/103.html Botswana] at Cricket Archive] They are in Division Five of the World Cricket League [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/DATABASE/ARTICLES/articles/000045/004501.shtml Jersey to host World Cricket League Division Five] , ICC Media Release] and are ranked at joint 29th in the world by the ICC, the 5th highest ranked non-test team in the African region. [ [http://www.icc-cricket.com/icc/development/one-day_rankings.html ICC's one-day rankings] ]

History

Cricket was started in the country by expatriates from South Africa and the Indian subcontinent. [ [http://www.cricketfundas.com/africa/botswana.html History of cricket in Botswana] ] Botswana was elected to the ICC as an affiliate member in 2001, and played in the Africa Cup in Zambia the following year. After winning all their first round matches against Namibia, Tanzania, Zambia and Zimbabwe, they beat Kenya in the semi-final before losing by 270 runs to South Africa in the final. [ [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/2002/TOURNAMENTS/AFRICACUP/about.shtml 2002 Africa Cup] at CricketEurope]

In March 2004, they won the African affiliates qualifying tournament for the 2005 ICC Trophy, qualifying them for the next stage of qualification, the Africa Cricket Association Championships. They beat Nigeria and Tanzania in that tournament in Zambia in August, finishing fourth, thus missing out on qualification for their first ICC Trophy. [ [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/ICCT2005/DATABASE/QUALIFYING/africa.shtml 2005 ICC Trophy African qualifying] at the tournament's official website] They were rewarded for their performance in this tournament by being promoted to associate membership of the ICC in 2005.

In 2006, they took part in Division Two of the African region of the World Cricket League, finishing second behind Tanzania. [ [http://www.cricketeurope4.net/CRICKETEUROPE/DATABASE/2006/TOURNAMENTS/WCLAFRICA2/about.shtml 2006 WCL Africa Region Division Two] at CricketEurope] This qualified them for Division Five of the World Cricket League.

In May 2008, Botswana travelled to Jersey to take part in the Division Five tournament. Although Botswana beat the Bahamas in Group B, it was their only group stage win and with three loses and one match abandoned due to rain they failed to make the semi-finals. Botswana finished sixth overall after defeating Germany but losing to Singapore in positional playoff matches. With only the top two from this tournament qualifying for Division Four in Tanzania later in the year, Botswana missed out on the chance to take their 2011 World Cup dream any further.

Tournament history

World Cricket League Africa Region

*2006: Division Two runners up

World Cricket League

*2008: Division Five 6th place

2008 ICC World Cricket League Division Five

quad

References