It was a bad day for the Senior national cricket team who lost narrowly to Mozambique in the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub Regional Africa Qualifier B in Kigali.
Ghana, after beating Eswatini by 25 runs on Thursday, December 1, lost to Mozambique by 7 wickets in their second outing on Friday morning.
Mozambique won toss and elected to field first, which gave Ghana the first innings, but a great restriction and quick fall of wickets got Ghana 111/10 in 18.2 overs.
The woes of Ghana started when the opening batters, James Kwaku Vifah and Samson Kwasi Awe Awiah were dismissed, even before the 5th over. Both James and Samson held the fort for Ghana, with their outstanding performance in Ghana’s win over Eswatini on Thursday, but couldn’t replicate same against Mozambique.
James fell on the 0.5 over having scored 1 four, while Samson 11(11) fell on the on the 3.5 over and those early fall of wickets seem to have changed the game for Ghana.
Ghana started the second innings with good restrictions and many dot balls but gives away some boundaries after some dot balls, as Francisco Damiao Couana 65(52) was a torn in their flesh, scoring 7 fours and 1 sixes before Rexford Bakum’s ball on the 15.2 over, got him caught behind by Joseph Theodore (Wk).
Mozambique scored 115/3 in 19 overs and won the game by 7 wickets.
Despite the loss, Rexford Bakum was on top of his bowling performance today, taking 4-0-29-3.
Vice-Captain, Samson Awiah, who led the team in today’s defeat tells TalksenseSports, they under rated their opponents and is confident, Ghana can still qualify.
“We under rated Mozambique and that was the cause of our defeat. The loss was a big one to swallow and really surprising. Absolutely, we can qualify. It is our second match that we lost and it is good, so we can correct our mistakes and read conditions well to come back tougher. Because we are hungry for more wins and against any team.”
Ghana are now 4th with 2 points, 2 behind first place Nigeria and second place Mozambique, who later defeated Eswatini.
It is rest day at the tournament on Saturday, December 3, 2022 for all teams, as actions continue on Sunday, December 4, 2022.
Ghana comes up against Tanzania at the Gahanga Cricket Stadium at 1:45pm (11:45 am GH Time) as they try to correct the many wrong in their previous match.
By: Davis Attuquaye Clottey
