The Rainbow Paints Blantyre and Districts Netball League (BDNL) has maintained three teams that are targeted for the National Netball League by Netball Association of Malawi (NAM).
The three teams, Kukoma Diamonds, Tigresses and Giants were in action as the 2025 edition of the BDNL rolled out at the weekend.
This is despite NAM general secretary Yamikani Kauma initially, saying that they had informed the regional leagues not to include the targeted teams ahead of the inaugural national league scheduled throw off this season.
Diamonds faced Prisons Queens while Tigresses were up against Giants.
In an interview yesterday, Blantyre District Netball Committee general secretary Anne Hanjahanja-Billie said the arrangement is by design as they are yet to get official communication from NAM.
She said: “We have heard about the plans to introduce a national league and we will deregister the targeted teams once we get official communication from NAM.
“We are deliberately pitting the targeted teams against each other so that once we get communication from NAM, it will be easy to nullify their games and continue with the rest of the fixtures.
“It is also one way of helping the targeted teams to be in good shape when the national league throws off.”
On the other hand, Kauma said they have an assurance from BDNC that once they finalise logistics with the prospective sponsors of the national league and other stakeholders, the targeted teams will be deregistered.
“So, we do not expect any complications,” she said.
Tigresses vice-team manager Ruth Kaipa-Chimombo said they are waiting to hear from both BDNC and NAM regarding the national league.
“As of now, we have not received official communication pertaining to the logistics of the national league,” she said.
In the Central Region, the teams targeted for the national league are Blue Eagles Sisters, CivoNets and Young Eagles while in the North there are Ekwendeni Sisters and Karonga Queens.
