Born on 18th October 1988 in Nairobi, T20 International player and key bowler for Kenya, Sarah Bhakita.
Sarah is a hard hitting right-hand batter, but it is her off-break bowling that is such a potent weapon for Kenya that she has four of the top ten bowling performances for the team, including the top two.
Sarah was in action at the Kwibuka tournament in Kigali, Rwanda in June 2021. When she came on to bowl, the opposition Botswana team were reasonably well placed at 29/1. A short run-up, and heaps of flight.
First deliver she dismissed Laura Mophakedi, out caught. Next delivery, Bontle Madimabe had similar thoughts and was snapped up at short cover by the panther-like Queentor Abel. Sarah took another wicket that over but didn’t achieve a hat-trick. It was however a triple wicket maiden. She finished with 5-12, the best figures by a Kenyan bowler.
In the final of the tournament, Kenya were up against the formidable Namibia team who’d beaten them earlier in the tournament. Namibia were 42/4 in the ninth over. Sarah was tossed the ball for the tenth over and took 3 wickets. She then proceeded to remove every remaining batter. She finished with 6-16 and to top it off took a diving catch at mid-on, winning her second Player of the Match award for the tournament and beating her own record for best figures by a Kenyan.
The 6-16 is now Kenya’s best ever and the ninth best in the world. Over her 23 T20Is Sarah has taken 24 wickets at 11.12 runs per wicket and has two five wicket hauls to her name. She can belt a cricket ball too, boasting a very healthy strike rate.