Youth and Sports Minister Uchizi Mkandawire is this evening expected to give Malawi National Netball Team a colourful send-off to the 2023 Netball World Cup finals during a ceremony scheduled for Bingu International Convention Centre in Lilongwe.
The Queens leave for Cape Town, South Africa, Friday ahead of the competition’s throw-off on July 28.
Malawi National Council of Sports Public Relations and Communications Officer Edgar Ntulumbwa said the event has been organised to motivate and inspire the Queens for the global showpiece.
Stand-in Coach Samuel Kanyenda, who is also Netball Association of Malawi Technical Director, said the team can manage a top-five finish.
“Finishing in the top four would be good but, realistically, we are targeting a top five finish. Our main aim is to better our current ranking. Last time when we went there, we finished on sixth position. So finishing on the same position will not do us any good.
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“We know that people are now talking about Uganda and South Africa being the serious contenders for the top five but we will try to play to better our last record. We have finalised our local camping and everything is in place. We will continue training in South Africa,” Kanyenda said.
Former Queens goalkeeper Judith Chalusa said breaking into the top five is possible for Malawi.
“I have watched the team’s training over the past weeks and the standards seem to be quite high. We just need to make a bright start in our group. This will help us build confidence for the other rounds.
“We should also expect to have a strong team now that foreign country-based top stars such as Mwawi Kumwenda, Towera Vinkhumbo and Joyce Mvula are with the team. This will give us the edge over other teams,” Chalusa said.
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The Queens have been camping at Bingu National Stadium in Lilongwe and have played in six World Netball Championships, with their highest finish being fifth place in 2007.
During the 2019 finals in Liverpool, England, the Queens finished on sixth position.
The team is expected to warm up for the finals with matches against New Zealand and Zimbabwe.
The Queens are in Group B of the global showpiece alongside third-ranked England, 10th-placed Scotland and 14th-ranked Barbados.
Malawi will begin their campaign against Scotland on July 28 before taking on England on July 29. They will wind up their group fixtures with a tie against Barbados on July 30.
The squad scheduled to leave the country is as follows:
Shooters-Mwai Kumwenda, Jane Chimaliro, Joyce Mvula, Sindi Simtowe
Midcourt-Takondwa Lwazi, Thandi Galeta, Martha Dambo
Defenders– Grace Mwafulirwa, Towera Vinkhumbo, Laureen Ngwira, Madalitso Mkandawire
