Same old faces
Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) technical director (TD) Sam Kanyenda has named a 12-member Queens squad for the Netball World Cup including 10 players that participated at the 2015 edition in Sydney, Australia.
Old faces in the squad incude Thandie Galleta, Takondwa Lwazi, Sindi Simtowe, Towera Vinkhumbo, Jane Chimaliro, Caroline Mtukule, Grace Mwafulirwa, Mwawi Kumwenda, Martha Dambo and Loreen Ngwira return to the quadrennial tournaments after starring for the Queens at the 2015 tournament where Malawi finished sixth.
Of these 10, Australia-based shooter Kumwenda, who was top scorer at the 2015 tournament missed the last edition in Liverpool, United Kingdom in 2019 due to an injury while Mvula and Dambo did not make the grade.
Kanyenda in an interview said there has not been much transition of up-and-coming players into the Queens, hence maintaining the same faces in the squad.
He said: “We have not picked them because they were part of the team that participated at the last edition.
“We have picked them because they are best of the best. from the players that we had in camp.”
However, Kanyenda, who has placed Shabel Bengo, Salome Nkhoma and Florence Gamuka on reserve, admitted the need for transition of up-and-coming players into the Queens.
He said: “We didn’t have much transition programmes. To groom a player takes time and resources.
“We hope that after this World Cup, we can start afresh with programmes to bring in more young players in the Queens.”
But Kanyenda said he is confident that the selected players will deliver at the tournament to be held in Cape Town, South Africa from July 28 to August 6.
NAM president Abigail Sharif has told the players that expectations are high.
She said: “The Netball Association of Malawi would like to congratulate all the players that have made it in the final squad.
“For being drafted into this final team for World Netball Cup games, you are not only carrying the hopes of 20 million Malawians, but also that of over 1 billion people across Africa. Therefore expectations are high.”
The Queens are in Group B alongside third-ranked England, 10th-placed Scotland and 14th-ranked Barbados at the tournament. n
