Malawi Queens coach Peace Chawinga- Kaluwa is confident her charges will finally banish their woes..

 as the 2023 Netball World Cup qualifying tournament throws off today in Pretoria, South Africa.

The Queens, who put up a lacklustre performance at the just-ended Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, are for the first time fighting for a slot in a global competition after recently losing the privilege of automatic qualification due to a drop on World rankings from sixth to seventh.

South Africa’s Spar Proteas and Uganda’s She Cranes have already qualified by virtue of being fifth and sixth on the world rankings, respectively while the Queens must battle for the two available spots against fellow Group B sides-Swatini, Zambia and Kenya plus Group A teams Zimbabwe, Tanzania, Namibia and Botswana.

Vinkhumbo (L) in action at
Commonwealth Games

Malawi begin their campaign against Kenya tomorrow before facing Zambia on Monday and e-Swatini on Wednesday.

They were expected to entertain Uganda in their last group match this Thursday, but the She Cranes have opted out, denying the Queens and South Africa a chance to avenge on their Commonwealth defeats.

Chawinga-Kaluwa, whose charges went straight into camp from Commonwealth Games, believes they have rectified their mistakes and are ready for battle.

“We have done our best to be in good shape in all areas we felt we did not do well at the Commonwealth Games, especially endurance,” she said.

The coach has picked 12-players excluding Australia-based prolific shooter Mwawi Kumwenda, who has excused herself to prepare for her wedding.

The Queens bank their hopes on shooters Joyce Mvula and Tendai Masamba. Other players in the final squad are

goal-attackers Jane Chimaliro and Sindi Simtowe-Msowoya; centres Takondwa Lwazi-Mtonga and Bridget Kumwenda; wing-attacker Thandi Galeta and defenders captain Carol Mtukule-Ngwira, Towera Vinkhumbo-Nyirenda, Laureen Ngwira and Grace Mwafulirwa-Mhango.

Netball Association of Malawi (NAM) has pleaded with the Queens technical panel to also feature up-and-coming players at the qualifiers for them to gain the much-needed international exposure and experience.

At the Commonwealth Games, where they finished seventh, the Queens mostly relied on old guards and there was an outcry among some netball lovers that up-coming talents such as shooter Masamba were being side-lined.

He said: “We have very promising young talents that need to be frequently featured in competitive games to gain international exposure and experience. At present, there is no need to fear as regards to giving up-and-coming players a chance on the International stage.

“We have already given the technical panel this idea and it is up to them to take the advice.”

However, Chawinga-Kaluwa has insisted that such will depend on the players individual performance during camp.

“Changes come according to how the training are going on. The whole reason we had camp training is to take the best team. So we will feature a team which we think is the best, befitting the tournament at hand,” she said. n

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