Gambia beat Lesotho by three runs in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Sub Regional Qualifier C in Abuja on 25 October 2026, winning a low-scoring thriller that went down to the final balls. Gambia posted 112 for 9 from their 20 overs, and Lesotho were bowled out for 109 in 19.5 overs.

A low total defended to the last

In a match where neither side reached 120, every run carried unusual weight. Gambia's 112 was modest, but it proved just enough because their bowlers kept taking wickets at the moments Lesotho threatened to take control. Lesotho's chase ended three runs short, with their last wicket falling before they could use their final ball.

Mohammad Maaz Khan's unbeaten 35 from 27 balls was the standout batting contribution for Lesotho, holding the innings together while wickets fell around him. But a chase of 113 needs support from the other end, and Lesotho's batting card shows too many single-figure scores to build the partnerships a low chase still requires.

Conteh's four wickets turn the game

Aniru Conteh was the pick of Gambia's bowlers, taking four wickets for 24 runs, while Andre Jarju took two for 11 and Musa Jorbateh and David Demba also struck. The bowling figures explain the result: Lesotho never had a partnership long enough to settle, and Gambia's bowlers kept the required rate within reach while removing the batters who could have finished the chase.

Qualifier matches at this level often turn on single moments: a run out, a dot ball, a wicket in the final over. For Gambia, the win keeps their campaign alive; for Lesotho, it is a defeat that will sting precisely because it was so close.