TANZANIA's senior national women's cricket team batters Hudaa Mrisho and Saum Godfrey Mtae have made their intention to competently challenge for the 2025 ICC Women's T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier top batter prize clear, having made it to the list of the leading batters.

The duo, as the tournament in Windhoek, Namibia, headed into the semi-finals yesterday, were placed just outside the top 10, thanks to their impressive performances in Tanzania’s three round-robin matches.

Hudaa, as the showdown's round robin phase came to an end on Thursday, was occupying the 11th spot, having scored 80 runs in three encounters at a strike rate of 109.59. She was boasting one not out showing, which saw her notch 54 runs not out when Tanzania confronted Rwanda at the Namibia Cricket Ground on the same day and garnered an 18-run victory over the latter.

The 54 runs not out moreover turned out to be Hudaa's best batting showing following the climax of the round robin matches. She experienced a wobbly start to the showdown after she was dismissed with two runs to her name when Tanzania came up against Uganda in the opening match last Sunday and scraped through to a slim one-run victory.

 The Tanzanian top-order batter wrestled back her batting prowess the following day, as the squad comfortably grabbed a 30-run rout of Kenya. The clash saw Hudaa score 24 runs whilst clearing the boundary on four occasions.

 Compatriot Saum was, as Tanzania was heading to the semi-finals, sitting 13th on the showdown's leading batters' table with her 70 runs in three fixtures, having posted the runs at a strike rate of 116.67.

 The duo had the opportunity to improve their positioning in the showdown's leading run-getters' list, given that Tanzania was expected to lock horns with tournament hosts, Namibia, in the semi-final yesterday afternoon.

 Namibia's Yasmeen Khan was the showpiece's batter with the most runs heading to the semi-finals, scoring 128 runs in three clashes. Zimbabwe's Kelis Ndhlovu was occupying the second place after amassing 124 runs, followed by Uganda's Rita Musamali in the third spot with 118 runs.

Rita's compatriot, Janet Mbabazi, and Namibia's Kayleen Green were completing the top five, with Janet coming fourth with 117 runs and Kayleen placed fifth with her 113 runs.

Tanzania, the Group B leaders, were expected to face Namibia, who finished second in Group A, in what was scheduled to be a thrilling last-four clash, in which a victory for the former would assure them of qualification for the 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup Global Qualifier.

In the other semi-final that was set to be held the same day, the other tournament favourites, Zimbabwe, Group A's leaders, were locking horns with Uganda, who ended second in Group B.

The 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier will be a women's international cricket tournament that will be held from January 12- February 2, 2026, in Nepal.

It will be the seventh edition of the Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier and will serve as the final qualification tournament, in which the top four teams will qualify for the 2026 Women's T20 World Cup.

The matches will be held at the Lower Mulpani Cricket Stadium and the Upper Mulpani Cricket Stadium in Mulpani, Kathmandu.

Meanwhile, Tanzania's senior national women's cricket team's batter, Nasra Hamza, proudly took part in the Future Leaders Program — a prestigious initiative designed to empower and uplift female cricket coaches across Africa- in the Namibian capital.

A Tanzania Cricket Association (TCA) officer stated that the program, led by ICC mentors and experts, focuses on equipping female coaches with the skills and knowledge to grow in their careers and achieve their goals.

The program took place during the Qualifier's participating teams' rest day on Tuesday.

The TCA officer noted that the association is proud to see Nasra, who is also the development program coach, represent Tanzania both on and off the field, continuing to inspire the next generation of women in cricket.