A 16 member Zimbabwe national pool squad will be assembling in Harare soon to intensify preparations for the upcoming All Africa Blackball Championships set for Uganda early next month.

The tournament, set to attract 11 countries from the continent, will run from November 1 to 5 in Kampala, Uganda.

“Our final preparations will be in Harare although camping dates have not been finalized. The ladies coach, Joseph Mwanza is still at his base in South Africa but must be coming soon as we intensity preparations,” said Christine Sengwe who is the ladies team captain as well as the National Pool Players Association treasurer.

She said the selection of the team started at provincial level where teams and associations were asked to do the screening.

“The final selection was done here in Bulawayo in August, which saw the host city coming up with five ladies and two men in the final squad,” said Sengwe, one of the top female pool players in the country.

The squad has since secured kit sponsorship from Kings Billiards Bulawayo through Godfrey Kondo who was also played a role in securing air tickets for the team which were sourced from ZLG.

Other countries expected to take part are Egypt, Tanzania, Kenya, and Democratic Republic of Congo, defending champions South Africa, Malawi, Morocco, Nigeria and Libya.