Mali’s shaky path to qualifying for Women’s World Cup
THE Mali women’s team probably headed back to Bamako with a great sense of relief. It follows their dramatic qualification for the FIBA Women’s Basketball World Cup in Germany (4-13 September). On their way to reaching a third World Cup, Mali were jittery and then nervously waited to secure their spot.
In Wuhan, results were mixed. An 81–68 loss to China showed inexperience. A 77–64 win over Czechia showed promise. An 81–50 defeat to Belgium exposed gaps. A 76–73 loss to Brazil highlighted fragility. However, a 97–74 win over World Cup Qualifiers debutantes South Sudan kept hopes alive.
A huge favour from EuroBasket champions Belgium was also needed on the final day of the qualifiers. Mali got the job done in their final qualifying game against South Sudan, and Belgium came through for them, beating Czechia (93-50).
While fortune played a hand in getting the Malian women this far, credit must go to the federation. The structures put in place by the federation led to the discovery of star talents such as Maimouna Haidara, Sika Kone, Alima Dembele and Elisabeth Kamite Dabou.
Maimouna Haidara
Maimouna Haidara, who had already played in her first senior World Cup in 2022, replicated the form which saw her dominate for Mali at the youth level.
Her production (15.8 points, 6.8 rebounds and 3.8 assists) at the qualifiers was a marked improvement from her previous major tournaments. From the 2021 AfroBasket, scoring in double figures was a struggle for Haidara, whose best scoring average was 6.4. at the next continental tournament in 2023. She also recorded her best rebounding average (6.6) and assists average (2.4) that year.
It was a different story for Haidara at the World Cup qualifiers. Her scoring struggles from past tournaments were a thing of the past as she delivered match-winning performances (24 points, 7 rebounds, 4 assists and efficiency of 25) against Czechia and in their triumph over South Sudan, she again rose to the occasion (19 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and efficiency of 26).
It was fitting that Haidara was an All-Star five at the Wuhan leg of the qualifiers.
Sika Koné
Meanwhile, Sika Koné was a steady presence for Mali. Although she was neither spectacular nor poor, she ranked second in rebounds (8.8) in Wuhan and contributed a solid 11.4 points.
Her best performance was a double-double (20 points and 11 rebounds) in the loss to Brazil. While not at peak scoring form, Mali can still count on Koné to deliver top-notch performances.
Elisabeth Kamite Dabou
Elisabeth Kamite Dabou, who graduated alongside Haidara to the senior team, found her footing in these qualifiers. Dabou’s 10.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists make her a player to look out for at the World Cup. She made a move to the French club ASA Sceaux Basket last year after cutting her teeth at Senegal’s AS Ville de Dakar.
Dabou was 11/27 (40.7%) from three-point range in the five games of the qualifiers. In Mali’s first group win against Czechia, Dabou (14 points) was 4/6 from three-point range. Additionally, her shooting from beyond the arc was evident against South Sudan, where she went 3/8 from three-point range on her way to a 16-point performance.
Alima Dembele
Alima Dembele maintained her 2025 Women’s AfroBasket scoring form at the qualifiers (10.2 points). Although she slightly upped her production in other departments (4.6 rebounds and 2 assists).
Dembélé delivered an impressive performance in the win over Czechia, finishing with 15 points, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals. She also went 9/10 from the free-throw line, underlining her effectiveness as a strong presence in the paint. It was the same scenario in the victory over the South Sudanese, where Dembele made it to the charity stripe 7/8 times. In her Player of the Match performance against the East Africans, she scored 20 points while adding four rebounds and four assists.
The quartet played a key role in helping Mali progress through a tough qualifying campaign. It will not be easy come September, as Mali have to hit the ground running if they harbour aspirations of going far at the World Cup. They need to tighten every nut and bolt if they want to be competitive when they face the best in the world.
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