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Eddie Chikamhi-Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE senior women’s cricket team player Sharne Mayers says a lot is at stake as a crucial week beckons for the side in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier that begins in the United Arab Emirates this Sunday.
The women’s team will be part of the eight hopefuls that will be competing for the remaining two tickets to next year’s ICC Women’s T20 World Cup to be held in South Africa.
It is a key moment for Zimbabwe Cricket as back home, the men’s team is bracing for the tough ICC Men’s T20 World Cup finals set for Australia next month after going through a successful qualifying process.
The women’s team, who have been camping in UAE for the past week, yesterday shifted base from Dubai to Abu Dhabi where the qualifying tournament will take place.
The side competed in a preparatory Quadrangular series that also involved USA, Thailand and hosts UAE and won all their games.
They had also beaten South Africa Emerging Women 4-1 in a T20 series played in Pretoria shortly before their departure for Dubai.
The coach Gary Brent is excited by how the preparations have shaped up. Experienced batter Sharne Mayers, who was voted Player of the Match in the last match of the Quadrangular series following a three-wicket win over Thailand, was also upbeat.
They all hope to carry their good form into the tournament, with their first match coming up on Sunday against Papua New Guinea.
“It’s extremely important (to have good preparations). Everybody knows what is at stake and the hard work that we have all put in.
“We just want to go out there and take each game as it comes. We don’t want to think too far ahead. We have to take one day at a time because that’s what really matters,” said Mayers
The Zimbabwe women are angling for their first T20 World Cup appearance. Apart from Papua New Guinea, they also play Thailand and UAE in Group B of the eight-team Qualifier, where the top two teams will book their places at next year’s World Cup to be held in South Africa.
The other group comprises the USA, Scotland, Ireland and Bangladesh.
Zimbabwe were yesterday welcomed by Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to UAE Lovemore Mazemo and his wife, Priviledge. Prior to their first game of the tournament, they will play a final warm up match against Scotland tomorrow in Abu Dhabi.
Back home, most of the men’s national team players are sweating it out in the inaugural Zim Cyber-City Domestic T10 tournament currently underway in Harare.
There has been some power hitting from the likes of Tadiwa Marumani, Sikandar Raza, Richmond Mutumbami. Marumani yesterday scored his third half ton of the tournament with a sizzling 78 Unbeaten), with his 50 coming off just 19 balls as Great Zimbabwe beat Bulawayo Athletic by 35 runs.
Mutumbami was also unbeaten on 41 as they reached 131/0 in their 10 overs. Zimbabwean players are using the tournament aspart of the preparations for the tournament.
Zimbabwe women itinerary
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier warm up match
Friday: Zimbabwe vs Scotland (Tolerance Oval, Abu Dhabi, 2pm)
ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier
Sunday: Zimbabwe vs Papua New Guinea (Tolerance Oval, 10am)
Monday: Zimbabwe vs Thailand (Zayed Cricket Stadium, 10am)
Wednesday: Zimbabwe vs UAE (Tolerance Oval, 2pm)
September 23: Semi-finals
September 25: Final (Zayed Cricket Stadium)
Online Reporter