The Malawi National Netball Team says it will not get complacent following the side’s remarkable victory over Uganda.
The team says it will approach unbeaten South Africa with a new strategy to do well in the ongoing Quad Series.
The two sides are set to meet at Copper Box Arena in London, England, on Saturday.
A lot is at stake as these are ranking games and if the Queens do well in the remaining matches, their chances of reclaiming the sixth rank ahead of Uganda would be high.
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The Queens chalked their first victory when they beat Uganda 59-45 in a Vitality Netball Nations Cup 2025 match at the Motorpoint Arena in Nottingham on Sunday.
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It was a timely response from the Queens, who lost to England 62-36 on Saturday.
Currently, the Queens are third on standings behind leaders South Africa and second-placed England.
Uganda are without a point after they lost their opener to South Africa 70- 45.
The Spar Proteas of South Africa edged the hosts 61-59 in a nail-biting thriller on Sunday to dictate events.
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Malawi co-coach Peace Chawinga-Kaluwa said after a great win, which was Malawi’s first since 2019, their focus was on the upcoming fixture.
“We are taking each match as it comes. We cannot be looking to Uganda when our next match is against South Africa. We have switched our minds to the next match.
“We know that South Africa plays like England and we will study them to come up with a better strategy,” Chawinga- Kaluwa said.
The First Choice Tigresses mentor admitted the Queens lacked discipline against Uganda, which saw the team playing with six players in two quarters after goal-defender Towera Vinkhumbo and goalkeeper Tendai Masamba were each suspended for two minutes.
Currently, the Queens are ranked seventh.
Beating Uganda has given them more points on the ranking table as outlined by World Netball.
“The number of points earned by a team for any match depends on two factors. The result (won, drawn, lost) and the opponent against whom the result was achieved. The higher an opponent’s rating the more points are earned for beating them. “If a team wins a match, they will earn 50 points more than their opponent’s rating. But if they lose, they will earn 50 points less than their opponent’s rating,” World Netball website netball. sport states. Local netball analyst Neffie Kam’mata said the Queens should be consistent in the remaining matches.
“The Queens had a slow start against Uganda but they picked up in the second quarter and finished strongly in the last two quarters.
“Going forward, we should minimise penalties in our circle as they had the potential to ruin the match. Uganda had a lot of turnovers, giving away balls, allowing the Queens to capitalise on that,” she said.
Meanwhile, Nico Group, who sponsor the Queens, have applauded the senior side.
“We are excited with the result against Uganda. We are pushing to rebuild the Queens and we think we are on the right track,” Nico Holdings Corporate Affairs Manager Mbumba Mlia-Ndasauka, who is part of the Queens’ delegation, said.
Netball Association of Malawi (Nam) President Vitumbiko Mwandemange-Gubuduza attributed the Queens’ performance to support the side got from Nico.
“This performance must be attributed to Nico as a partner in the rebuilding exercise that is underway; a performance that would have been impossible without them. This means that the rebuilding exercise is definitely on track.
“We are deeply thankful to the players and technical team, Nico Group and the government for their support,” she said.
