NAIROBI, Kenya, June 14, 2025 – National women’s netball team coach Mugisha Ali is confident of a good performance at the inaugural edition of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Netball Cup in Dubai.
Ali says his girls are highly charged to hold their own at the one-week tournament.
“The mood in the squad is very upbeat and everyone is in good spirits. We want to give a good account of ourselves in this tournament and rise up the world rankings,” the Ugandan said.
The Divas will be playing in the tournament where they start off their campaign against top-ranked Namibia on Sunday.
Speaking at the same time, the skipper Parin Simiyu insists they are not in the tournament to merely make up the numbers.
“We are here to compete and go all the way and win the tournament. We are not just here to make up the numbers. We have been working hard in training and ready to show it on the court,” she said.
Kenya come into the tournament ranked 25th in the world, seven places below the Namibians who are one of the top favourites for the crown.
Other countries in contention include Singapore, UAE, the Republic of Ireland, and the United States.
The tournament will go a long way towards enhancing the world rankings of the different competitors.
The Divas – who are eyeing a first-ever appearance at the Commonwealth Games, next year – are also expected to play in other tournaments in Malawi, Zimbabwe and Trinidad and Tobago.
