The games are scheduled for Nairobi (though whether ICC will approve this in an approaching election year is a moot point) and Kenya must win them to hold out any chance of reaching the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 and making an onward march to the ICC Cricket World Cup 2019. As things stand, they will be hard pressed to do so, which too is a sad reflection of the Kenyan team’s demise since the heady days of 1994, 1996 and 2003. The recent whitewashing by PNG at Port Moresby, following a 1-1 draw with UAE and 2-0 win over Namibia in the World Cricket League Championship (WCLC), makes Kenya’s November WCLC fixtures versus Hong Kong all the more key. When one thinks that, just a little over 20 years ago (1994), Namibia, Papua New Guinea and Hong Kong were also-rans in the cricket world compared to Kenya, it is a sad reflection of Kenya’s demise that these are the teams the East African nation now meets on a regular basis. Both Rushab and Oluoch are left-handers (as is Karim), which must always be a good sign!

Source: The Star June 01, 2016 05:26 UTC