Botswana names preliminary roster for WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup qualifier

Botswana names preliminary roster for WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup qualifier
14/01/2022
The African continental qualifier for the next WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup will be played in Pretoria, South Africa, from 11-13 February 2022, with the winner earning a ticket to the Softball World Cup.

The Botswana Softball Association unveiled its 18-man preliminary roster for the upcoming WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup African qualifier that is scheduled for 11-13 February in Pretoria, South Africa. 

“It is not easy to work with players after such a long break because mostly we concentrate on conditioning,” said Pako Maforaga, Botswana Men’s National Softball Team head coach, according to Mmegi Online.

Botswana’s 2022 squad has plenty of international experience. The team includes 12 members of the 2019 squad that finished 14th in the 2019 WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup, including Kagiso Mogale, Pamidzani Mazulungwa, Karabo Motsholathebe and Kunyalala Samuel, the four pitchers on the staff. 

The team also lists eight players from the 2017 World Cup team, that delivered a historic campaign advancing to the playoffs for the first time in the nation's history.

Botswana will try to avenge their 2019 loss to South Africa, 4-2, in the final game of the last African Softball Championship. Along with Botswana and South Africa, Burundi, Egypt, Kenya, Lesotho and Zambia expressed interest in playing in the event. Only one team will advance to the Softball World Cup.

The WBSC Men’s Softball World Cup is slated to get underway on 26 November, with the World Championship Final scheduled on 4 December. Czech Republic and Denmark are the first two teams to have qualified. Four teams from the Americas, two from Asia, two from Oceania, one from Africa and a wild card will complete the field of teams.