admin
Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
THE Women’s T20 Cup is expected to set the stage alight this morning as Zimbabwe Cricket host a cricket feast that will see 26 matches in men’s and women’s domestic T20 tournaments being played concurrently across two venues in Harare in the next one week.
Harare Sports Club and Takashinga Sports Club in Highfield will host the games, whose finals will be played on March 31. This is the first time that the two tournaments have been played simultaneously.
ZC director of cricket, Hamilton Masakadza, yesterday told The Herald that they are expecting top level competition as five teams clash in the men’s Domestic Twenty20 competition while four women’s sides will be involved in the Women’s T20 Cup.
The women’s game will be taking centre stage in the morning before the men’s tournament come on stage in the afternoon.
“We are combining the two tournaments so that we can try and get many people coming to watch the games. This is the first time that we are doing this and we are looking forward to some big attendances.
“We realise that local fans have been starved of opportunities to watch live cricket action in the last two years because of the Covid-19 situation. So we are hoping that the T20 tournaments will give value for money.
“It’s also a way of trying to prop up the women’s game by giving them the same platform. They will also get to learn from their male counterparts so as to improve their game. So we expect high level competition in all the games,” said Masakadza.
Eagles Women, who lifted the inaugural title in December 2020, will get the ball rolling when they face Tuskers Women at Harare Sports Club.
The other match featuring Rhinos Women and Mountaineers Women will be played at Takashinga, with both games starting at 9:30am.
The defending champions in the men’s game Tuskers are scheduled to open their campaign against Rhinos at Takashinga Sports Club in Highfield today while Mountaineers and Eagles clash at Harare Sports Club.
More games will be played tomorrow before the teams take a break on Saturday to pave way for the national by-elections. The cricket fiesta will continue on Sunday with marathon fixtures until next Thursday when the finals take place.
Both men’s and women’s finals will take place at Harare Sports Club. Masakadza said the games also presented an opportunity for players to convince the national teams’ selectors.
The former Zimbabwe captain said there are also going to be team and individual prizes at the end of the competitions. “My message is simple, play fair but play hard. There are a lot of opportunities ahead. The women’s national team have an upcoming series, and the men have assignments lined up as well.
“So this is the time for the players to raise their hands up and show they deserve to be selected. There are also some interesting prizes on offer. It’s going to be exciting,” said Masakadza.
Mountaineers Women’s captain, Pellagia Mujaji, said they were looking forward to atone for their disappointing outing in the Fifty50 Challenge, which was won by Eagles women recently.
“We are ready as a team. We have been working hard together. We are looking forward to winning this tournament. Even though we lost out in the Fifty50 Challenge, we are looking to do our basics right and win this tournament,” said Mujaji.
Today Fixtures
Women: Eagles Women v Tuskers Women (HSC, 9:30am), Rhinos Women v Mountaineers Women (Takashinga, 9:30am)
Men: Mountaineers v Eagles (HSC, 1:30pm), Tuskers v Rhinos (Takashinga, 1:30pm)
Tomorrow
Women: Eagles Women v Rhinos Women (HSC, 9:30am), Tuskers Women v Mountaineers Women (Takashinga, 9:30am)
Men: Eagles v Tuskers (Takashinga, 1:30pm), Rhinos v Rocks (HSC, 1:30 pm)
Online Reporter