Queentor Abel
{{short description|Kenyan cricketer (born 1997)}}
{{EngvarB|date=June 2022}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=June 2022}}
{{Infobox cricketer
| name = Queentor Abel
| female = true
| image =
| country = Kenya
| fullname = Queentor Abel
| nickname =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1997|10|6|df=yes}}
| birth_place =
| heightft =
| heightinch =
| heightm =
| batting = Right-handed
| bowling = Right-arm offbreak
| role =
| club1 =
| year1 =
| international = true
| T20Idebutdate = 6 April
| T20Idebutyear = 2019
| T20Idebutagainst = Zimbabwe
| T20Icap = 1
| lastT20Idate = 30 October
| lastT20Iyear = 2024
| lastT20Iagainst = Rwanda
| columns = 1
| column1 = WT20I
| matches1 = 59
| runs1 = 1,366
| bat avg1 = 26.78
| 100s/50s1 = 1/6
| top score1 = 109
| deliveries1 = 1,179
| wickets1 = 84
| bowl avg1 = 10.92
| fivefor1 = 2
| tenfor1 = 0
| best bowling1 = 5/5
| catches/stumpings1 = 36/0
| date = 30 October 2024
| source = https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/queentor-abel-1119431 Cricinfo
}}
Queentor Abel (born 6 October 1997) is a Kenyan cricketer and the current captain of the women's national cricket team.{{cite news |last1=Onyatta |first1=Omondi |title=Kwibuka tournament a step to great things for women cricket |url=https://www.the-star.co.ke/sports/2022-05-24-kwibuka-tournament-a-step-to-great-things-for-women-cricket/ |access-date=5 June 2022 |work=The Star (Kenya) |date=24 May 2022}} An all-rounder, Abel bats right-handed and is a right-arm offbreak bowler.{{Cite web|url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/player/queentor-abel-1119431 |title=Queentor Abel |accessdate=5 June 2022 |work=ESPN Cricinfo}}
Domestic career
=Uganda=
Since 2017, Abel has been playing for the Pioneer team in the women's domestic competition staged by the Uganda Cricket Association.{{cite web |last1=Musali |first1=Denis |title=Pioneer Cricket Club's Queentor Abel wins T20 MVP Award |url=https://kawowo.com/2017/08/13/queentor-abel-of-pioneer-cricket-club-wins-mvp-award/ |website=Kawowo Sports |access-date=6 June 2022 |date=13 August 2017}}{{cite web |last1=Batuwa |first1=Daniel |title=Jazz Safari National Women's League: Ladies Division 1 and Division 2 Wrap |url=http://www.ugandacricket.com/index.php/domestic-league/9-women-s-national-league/627-jazz-safari-national-women-s-league-ladies-division-1-and-division-2-wrap |website=Uganda Cricket Association |access-date=6 June 2022 |date=5 November 2018}}{{cite web |last1=Musali |first1=Denis |title=Women's T20: Wanderers move into second, Pioneer overcome Olila |url=https://kawowo.com/2022/03/27/wanderers-move-into-second-pioneer-overcome-olila/ |website=Kawowo Sports |access-date=6 June 2022 |date=27 March 2022}} In the first of those years, she was named as MVP in the competition, after scoring 239 runs and taking seven wickets in just five of her team's ten matches. In the final of the following year's competition, she made 33* and took 2/30, but her team was still defeated by Olila High by five wickets.
In March 2022, Abel had another busy day while playing back-to-back matches for Pioneer against Olila at Entebbe. In the first match, she scored 44 and took 5/17, and in the second she took a further four wickets. Pioneer won both matches.{{cite web |last1=Nsereko |first1=Issa |title=Cricket: Wanderers, Pioneer Cricket Club register victories against Tornado Bee and Olila Cricket Club |url=https://nimsportuganda.com/cricket-wanderers-pioneer-cricket-club-register-victories-against-tornado-bee-and-olila-cricket-club/ |website=Nimsport Uganda |access-date=6 June 2022 |date=27 March 2022}}
=Kenya=
Between July and September 2021, Abel captained the Nelion Knights team in the Kenya Ladies’ Nairobi Province Cricket Association (NPCA) League.{{cite web |last1=Oyugi |first1=Beryl |title=Kenya Ladies Cricket League set to begin |url=https://kenya-cricket.com/2021/07/23/kenya-ladies-cricket-league-set-to-begin/ |website=Kenya Cricket |access-date=6 June 2022 |language=en |date=23 July 2021}}
{{As of|June 2022}}, Kenya did not have a national women's domestic league competition, although there had been talks about setting one up.{{cite news |last1=Onyatta |first1=Omondi |title=Cricket Kenya in ambitious plan to grow women's game |url=https://www.the-star.co.ke/sports/2022-04-15-cricket-kenya-in-ambitious-plan-to-grow-womens-game/ |access-date=6 June 2022 |work=The Star (Kenya) |date=24 May 2022}}
International career
=2014–18: Early days=
In December 2014, Abel played for Kenya in the ICC Africa Women's T20 Championship in Benoni, Gauteng, South Africa. She batted in three matches, but did not reach double figures, and did not bowl.{{cite web |title=Queentor Abel |url=https://www.crichq.com/players/1081705/matches/results |website=cricHQ |access-date=6 June 2022 |language=en}} In June 2015, she was part of the first Kenyan team to participate in the Kwibuka Women's T20 Tournament in Kigali, Rwanda. Kenya recorded its first Kwibuka tournament win that year;{{cite web|url=https://www.crichq.com/competitions/6532/draws/16614/standings_table|title=Kwibuka Women's T20 Tournament |work=CricHQ|accessdate=6 June 2022}} Abel's best performance was 46* on 13 June 2015 against Rwanda. In April 2016, she played in the ICC Women's Qualifier Africa, but her top score was only 10 runs against Uganda, and again she did not bowl.
Abel next took the field for Kenya in her second Kwibuka T20 Tournament in June 2017. Once again Kenya emerged as the winner;{{cite web|url=https://www.crichq.com/competitions/10544/draws/32057/rounds|title=Kwibuka Cricket for Peace T20 Tournament, 2017 |work=CricHQ|accessdate=6 June 2022}} Abel's best performance was 40 runs in 35 balls and 3/8 against Rwanda on 10 June 2017. Three months later, in the round robin stage of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier in Windhoek, Namibia, Abel top scored for her team with 24 runs in 23 balls, and took 2/14, in Kenya's loss to Uganda.{{cite news |title=Full Scorecard of Kenya Women vs Uganda Women 5th Match 2017 - Score Report |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-wwc-qlf-2017-1118910/kenya-women-vs-uganda-women-5th-match-1118920/full-scorecard |access-date=6 June 2022 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}{{cite web |title=Uganda, Zimbabwe remain unbeaten |url=https://www.cricketnamibia.com/uganda-zimbabwe-remain-unbeaten/ |website=Cricket Namibia |access-date=6 June 2022 |date=12 September 2017}} Then, in the playoff against Uganda, she top scored for the match with 36*, but that did not stop Uganda from winning by five wickets, in a cliffhanger with just one ball to spare.{{cite news |title=Full Scorecard of Kenya Women vs Uganda Women Play-off 2017 - Score Report |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-wwc-qlf-2017-1118910/kenya-women-vs-uganda-women-play-off-1120538/full-scorecard |access-date=6 June 2022 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}{{cite news |last1=Schütz |first1=Helge |title=Uganda beat Kenya in thriller |url=https://www.namibian.com.na/169378/archive-read/Uganda-beat-Kenya-in-thriller |access-date=6 June 2022 |work=The Namibian |date=16 September 2017}}
The following year, 2018, Kenya won the Kwibuka T20 Tournament for a third time, and Abel played an even more prominent role; she took 2/20 and made 37* against Uganda U19,{{cite news |last1=Mwangi |first1=Richard |title=Kenya beat Uganda in Peace tourney opener |url=https://nation.africa/kenya/sports/cricket/kenya-beat-uganda-in-peace-tourney-opener-52116 |access-date=6 June 2022 |work=Daily Nation |date=7 June 2018 |language=en}} was the stand-in captain in both of her team's matches against Rwanda, and then took 3/13 in the team's second match against Uganda U-19.{{cite news |last1=Mwangi |first1=Richard |title=Anyango's half-ton inspires Kenya past Uganda |url=https://nation.africa/kenya/sports/cricket/anyango-s-half-ton-inspires-kenya-past-uganda-52938 |access-date=6 June 2022 |work=Daily Nation |date=9 June 2018 |language=en}}
=2019–present: WT20I era=
On 6 April 2019, Abel made her Women's Twenty20 International (WT20I) debut for Kenya against Zimbabwe, in the first match of a Victoria Tri-Series in Kampala, Uganda. The match was also Kenya's first ever WT20I.{{cite news |title=Full Scorecard of Zim Women vs Kenya Women 1st Match 2019 - Score Report |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/victoria-tri-series-2019-1179002/kenya-women-vs-zimbabwe-women-1st-match-1179007/full-scorecard |access-date=5 June 2022 |work=ESPNcricinfo}} Later that day, in Kenya's match against Uganda, Abel, who had been billed prior to the tournament as one of her team's stars, was named as player of the match for taking 5/18, but Uganda won the encounter by 34 runs.{{cite news |title=Uganda keen on finding purity at Victoria Tri-Series |url=https://www.monitor.co.ug/uganda/magazines/score/uganda-keen-on-finding-purity-at-victoria-tri-series-1818028 |access-date=5 June 2022 |work=Daily Monitor |date=5 April 2019 |language=en}}{{cite news |title=Full Scorecard of Uganda Women vs Kenya Women 2nd Match 2019 - Score Report |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/victoria-tri-series-2019-1179002/uganda-women-vs-kenya-women-2nd-match-1179008/full-scorecard |access-date=5 June 2022 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}
Abel finished the Tri-Series with the most wickets and the best bowling average for Kenya,{{cite web |title=Victoria Tri Series, 2019 - Kenya Women Cricket Team Records & Stats |url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/bowling/most_wickets_career.html?id=12943;team=2348;type=tournament |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=5 June 2022}} and with the team's third highest batting aggregate and average.{{cite web |title=Victoria Tri Series, 2019 - Kenya Women Cricket Team Records & Stats |url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/batting/most_runs_career.html?id=12943;team=2348;type=tournament |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=5 June 2022}} She was also one of only two Kenyans to be included in the Team of the Tournament, and was said to have taken the catch of the series.{{cite web |title=Victoria Tri Series Review: Five Ugandans In Team Of Tournament |url=http://www.ugandacricket.com/index.php/rules-conditions/8-news/710-victoria-tri-series-review-five-ugandans-in-team-of-tournament |website=Uganda Cricket Association |access-date=5 June 2022}}
Abel was not part of Kenya's squad for the ICC Women's Qualifier Africa held in Harare, Zimbabwe, in May 2019.{{cite web |title=ICC Women's T20 World Cup Africa Region Qualifier, 2019 - Kenya Women Cricket Team Records & Stats |url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/records/averages/batting_bowling_by_team.html?id=12973;team=2348;type=tournament |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=6 June 2022}} Kenya and Abel played their next WT20Is during a bilateral series of seven matches against Botswana in Gaborone, Botswana, in December 2019. The series had originally been planned as another tri-series, but the intended third team, Namibia, had been forced to withdraw.{{cite web |title=All-round records {{!}} Q Abel {{!}} Women's Twenty20 Internationals |url=https://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/player/1119431.html?class=10;template=results;type=allround;view=match |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=5 June 2022}}{{cite web |title=Botswana hosting Kenya in inaugural women's T20 series |url=https://emergingcricket.com/news/botswana-hosting-kenya-in-inaugural-womens-t20-series/ |website=Emerging Cricket |access-date=5 June 2022 |date=3 December 2019}} Kenya won the series 4–1, with two matches abandoned due to rain.{{cite web |title=Kenya Women in Botswana T20I Series - Cricket Schedules, Updates, Results {{!}} ESPNcricinfo.com |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/kenya-wmn-in-bots-t20is-2019-20-1207654/match-results |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=5 June 2022}} Abel's best bowling was 3/13 in the second match, and her highest score was 23 in the sixth match.
Due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, Kenya did not play any further WT20Is until June 2021, when the team competed in and won its fourth Kwibuka Tournament.{{cite web |author1=Women's CricZone Staff |title=Five teams set to battle it out in the Kwibuka T20 Tournament |url=https://www.womenscriczone.com/five-teams-set-to-battle-it-out-in-the-kwibuka-t20-tournament |website=Women's CricZone |access-date=5 June 2022 |language=en |date=18 May 2021}}
In Kenya's first match in that tournament, against Botswana, Abel scored 35* to help her team to what was described by Women's CricZone as "a crushing win", by nine wickets.{{cite web |last1=S |first1=Shajin Mohanan |title=Wetoto floors Namibia as allround Kenya romp to yet another Kwibuka T20 triumph |url=https://www.womenscriczone.com/wetoto-floors-namibia-as-allround-kenya-romp-to-yet-another-kwibuka-t20-triumph |website=Women's CricZone |access-date=5 June 2022 |language=en |date=7 June 2021}} Later, against Nigeria and Rwanda, she made 40 and 47*, respectively, and in the latter match she also took 2/17.{{cite web |title=Kenya through to Kwibuka T20 semis |url=https://www.michezoafrika.com/news/kenya-through-to-kwibuka-t20-semis/26602 |website=Michezoafrika |access-date=6 June 2022 |language=en |date=10 June 2021}} For those performances, she was awarded player of the match in both contests.{{cite news |title=Full Scorecard of Nigeria Wmn vs Kenya Women 5th Match 2021 - Score Report |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/kwibuka-women-s-twenty20-2021-1265208/kenya-women-vs-nigeria-women-5th-match-1265217/full-scorecard |access-date=5 June 2022 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}{{cite news |title=Full Scorecard of Kenya Women vs Rwanda Women 9th Match 2021 - Score Report |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/kwibuka-women-s-twenty20-2021-1265208/rwanda-women-vs-kenya-women-9th-match-1265221/full-scorecard |access-date=5 June 2022 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}
Abel did not then play a prominent role in either her team's victory over Rwanda in the semi-final, or its upset triumph over pre-tournament favourites Namibia in the final. However, she was ultimately named as player of the tournament, and as a member of the team of the tournament, for her overall total of 165 runs, 7 wickets, and 5 catches.{{cite news |last1=Ndawula |first1=Innocent |title=Kenya win fourth Kwibuka Women's Twenty20 title in Kigali |url=https://nation.africa/kenya/sports/cricket/kenya-win-fourth-kwibuka-women-s-twenty20-title-in-kigali-3435780 |access-date=5 June 2022 |work=Daily Nation |date=13 June 2021 |language=en}}
In January 2022, Abel took the field for Kenya in the Commonwealth Games Cricket Qualifier in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. Her best performances came in her team's encounters with the two leading teams. Against Bangladesh, she took 3/14,{{cite news |title=Full Scorecard of Bdesh Wmn vs Kenya Women 3rd Match 2021/22 - Score Report |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/bangladesh-women-in-malaysia-2021-22-1296017/bangladesh-women-vs-kenya-women-3rd-match-1296029/full-scorecard |access-date=6 June 2022 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}{{cite web |last1=Rego |first1=Nishadh |title=Bangladesh survive early collapse to beat Kenya |url=https://emergingcricket.com/news/bangladesh-survive-early-collapse-to-beat-kenya/ |website=Emerging Cricket |access-date=6 June 2022 |date=19 January 2022}} and against Sri Lanka, she top scored for her team with 33 in 53 balls.{{cite news |title=Full Scorecard of Kenya Women vs SL Women 5th Match 2021/22 - Score Report |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/kenya-women-in-malaysia-2021-22-1296019/kenya-women-vs-sri-lanka-women-5th-match-1296031/full-scorecard |access-date=6 June 2022 |work=ESPNcricinfo}}{{cite web |title=Sri Lanka outclass Kenya in the ICC Commonwealth Games Qualifier 2022 |url=https://www.icc-cricket.com/news/2455678 |website=International Cricket Council |access-date=6 June 2022 |language=en |date=20 January 2022}} However, Kenya lost all of its matches and finished last in the Qualifier, which was won by Sri Lanka with Bangladesh as runner-up.{{cite web |title=Commonwealth Games Women's Cricket Qualifiers 2021/22 Table, Matches, win, loss, points |url=https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/commonwealth-games-women-s-cricket-qualifiers-2021-22-1296009/points-table-standings |website=ESPNcricinfo |access-date=6 June 2022}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Cricinfo}}
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