Queens intensify rebuilding drive
Malawi Queens coach Joanna Kachilika has proposed two international friendly matches against Zimbabwe and Zambia this July before facing South Africa in test series matches in October.
The coach has included in the proposal her plans presented to the Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) on how she will transform the senior national netball team, the Malawi Queens.
Kachilika, who was appointed as coach three months ago, has also suggested that the Queens should go into camp early next month to have enough time to rebuild the team after most of the experienced players such as Jane Chimaliro and Takondwa Lwazi.

She said: “We are starting to build a relatively new team and an early start of preparations ahead of test series against South Africa is very important.
“However, we cannot face South Africa before our players build strong combinations and cohesion in international games. This is why we need them to have some test games against Zimbabwe and Zambia.”
In an interview yesterday, NAM general secretary Isaac Chimwala said they have welcomed Kachilika’s proposal and they are trying their best to source funding for the activities.
“We have already presented our budget for our programmes to the Sports Council,” he said.
At present, the Queens are seventh on World Netball rankings while Zimbabwe and Zambia lie 13th and 16th, respectively. South Africa’s Spar Proteas, on the other hand, are fifth.
In their last meeting, Malawi beat Zimbabwe 59-43 in the 2019 Netball World Cup and Zambia 48-35 in the Pacific Series in April last year. Zambia shocked Malawi with a 50-46 scoreline in the same month.
The imminent Malawi test matches against South Africa were initially scheduled for February this year, but they were shifted to give the two teams’ new coaches ample time to build and fine-tune their squads.
Malawi Queens are striving to regain their sixth ranking on World Netball after losing it to Uganda’s She Cranes.