adminEddie Chikamhi
Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE women’s cricket team are set to miss the services of foreign-based trio of Sharne Mayers, Anesu Mushangwe and all-rounder Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano.
The Lady Chevrons are set to host the Pakistan women’s side in Harare next week for three one-dayers and two T20 Internationals.
But, former captain Mayers, who is on the books of South African side Gauteng Central Lions, is a huge doubt.
Mushangwe, who is plying her trade for Glenelg District Cricket Club in Australia, and Mugeri-Tiripano, are also out of the selection. The team’s coach, Adam Chifo, said they were still looking forward to the series, which will end almost two years of inactivity.
“The tour wouldn’t have come at a better time, we have always wanted to play the top-ranked teams in the world and Pakistan is a great opportunity for us as we start our preparations for the ODI World Cup qualifiers in June,’’ said Chifo.
“We are very grateful for having been afforded a chance by the SRC, and the Government, to return to doing what we love doing, that is playing cricket and we are all excited.’’
Zimbabwe Cricket have since started preparations for the tour.
With domestic cricket having been shelved, because of the coronavirus lockdown measures, the association have since arranged regional competitions that will see Northerns and Southerns sides clashing across all formats of the game.
“The regional tournament plays a pivotal role in preparing the team, in terms of game time, the beauty of this tournament is that it’s the cream versus the cream and that allows us to pick the best possible squad for the country,” said Chifo. The matches will be played in a bio-secure bubble.
All matches are scheduled for Harare Sports Club, starting with the one-dayers on February 11, 13 and 15. The T20 games are pencilled in for February 18 and 20.
The Zimbabwe side are still looking to recover from the setbacks faced in the last two years.
The series will mark the first time the Lady Chevrons will be involved in international cricket since May 2019.
Morale reached rock bottom when they were barred from the 2019 World Cup qualifiers following a protracted stand-off between the ICC and the Zimbabwean authorities.
They could have resumed internationals last year, in the qualifiers for the 2022 ICC Women’s World Cup, which have since been postponed to this year.
Zimbabwe are currently ranked 12th in the ICC Women’s T20I Rankings while Pakistan are seventh.
The Pakistan women’s cricket team are expected to arrive in Harare tomorrow.
The Asians are currently on a tour of South Africa, where they play their last T20I match today, before boarding the plane the following day for Zimbabwe.
Both Zimbabwe and Pakistan will be using the tour as part of their preparations for the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2021, a 10-team tournament that will be held in June and July. The top three teams from that qualifying event will progress to the 50-over ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 in New Zealand. Chifo said the team remained focused on qualifying for the World Cup and also pushing for the attainment of ODI status.
“It’s something that we have been trying to manage that the players don’t lose heart and stay focused on our main goal, that of qualifying for the World Cup and ultimately obtaining ODI status.
“We have a big chance of qualifying for the World Cup. “It all depends on how much we want it and this can only be complimented by a solid road map with a clearly defined plan,” said Chifo.
Online Reporter