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Ellina Mhlanga
Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Netball Association president Letitia Chipandu has appealed for more partners to support the senior national team for the upcoming 2023 Netball World Cup adventure.
The 16-team tournament will be staged in Cape Town, South Africa from July 28 to August 6.
The Gems booked their place at the event last August during qualifiers held in South Africa.
With just three months before the tournament begins, ZINA are still lagging behind in terms of funding for the team.
So far the netball mother body has managed to strike a partnership with Nedbank Zimbabwe who are sponsoring the team to a tune of US$50 000 that will go towards kits and travelling expenses.
Apart from the gesture extended by Nedbank, Chipandu said the general response from the other potential sponsors has not been encouraging so far.
“It’s not very exciting. It’s not very encouraging, let me be very honest because we would want people to come in. Nedbank are the title sponsor but we are looking for other partners that can be put on the playing kit as our sponsors for the World Cup.
“And I hope it’s going to be sooner than later. But we also have Gilbert International, who are going to be the kit provider. That means they are the ones that are going to make the kit.
“Perhaps it could be the economic climate in the country or the time that we are in. Remember (the last World Cup held in) Liverpool, it was almost like last minute… We are appealing to the corporates (out) there to come now while we still have time so that we can prepare well,” said Chipandu.
“At the moment we have got a number of people that we have engaged. The talks are still going on, until we have put pen to paper I cannot really like to talk about it.”
The signing ceremony for the partnership between ZINA and Nedbank was held last Friday in Harare.
“It is a great boost in the sense that it will cover what we think are crucial issues while we wait for other sponsors, the government and any other well-wisher,” said Chipandu.
Zimbabwe were drawn in Pool A alongside Australia, Fiji and Tonga.
The Gems had a month-long camp between March and April. They are set to regroup next week to continue with preparations for the World Cup.
The forthcoming camp is expected to feature some foreign-based players such as Australia-based Joice Takaidza. The first camp was mainly focusing on local-based players.
Chipandu said they have engaged Malawi and Uganda for friendly matches as part of their build-up, and are expecting to leave for South Africa early where they will have more friendly games just before the tournament begins.
“When we go to Cape Town, we are going to play Wales, we are going to play England. So far these are confirmed games.
“But we are actually engaging more countries except those that are in our first Pool, so that we can play them, we give ourselves enough practice, we make the girls comfortable and confident. That way we won’t go wrong.
“We are going to go early to Cape Town, South Africa, so that we can play as many friendly games as possible.”
Nedbank also partnered the Premier Netball League with a sponsorship package of US$50 000
“It’s very historic. It’s so encouraging, it’s so motivating, so fulfilling. It’s like a dream that has come true. That’s something that we have always wanted for a very long time,” Chipandu said.
PNL chairperson Sarudzai Chapo said they are grateful to Nedbank for the sponsorship towards the league.
“The past two years have been so hectic because we were just going around looking for money for the next match. But now we know Nedbank has taken over and we know they are going to do it for not only one season but for more than a year,” Chapo said.
The PNL was launched in 2021 and is in its third year running.
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