Online Reporter
Blessing Malinganiza-Zimpapers Sports Hub
HAVING completed a winless run at the 2026 Women’s cricket T20 World Cup in Nepal, Zimbabwe’s Lady Chevrons, quietly sneaked back into the country, a disappointed lot on Wednesday.
The team played in a qualifying tournament for the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup in Nepal.
Zimbabwe were in Group B with the Netherlands, Scotland, Thailand, and hosts Nepal.
Only the top teams from the qualifier would go to the World Cup.
But after losing all four of their matches, the Lady Chevrons’ World Cup hopes ended in disappointing fashion.
Their final group game was a loss to Nepal by six wickets.
This result confirmed they would finish at the bottom of their group.
In that last match, all-rounder Kelis Ndhlovu scored 52 runs, helping Zimbabwe to a total of 129.
However, Nepal successfully chased the score, winning with three balls left.
Their net run rate, a key measure of performance, was the lowest at -0.942.
Reports suggest the absence of several experienced players may have hurt the team’s chances. A less experienced squad struggled against more practiced opponents.
This is not the first time the team has faced such challenges. Their best finish in a T20 World Cup qualifier was third place in 2015.
They also failed to win a match in a 2011 50-over World Cup qualifier.
The gap between Zimbabwe and other leading cricket nations outside the top tier seems to be growing.
Missing the 2026 World Cup means the Lady Chevrons will not get valuable international experience soon.
However, a future event may offer some hope. Zimbabwe is set to co-host the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. The attention and potential funding for cricket from this event could indirectly benefit the women’s game in the country.
Lady Chevrons coach Walter Chawaguta expressed his disappointment with the team’s performance.
“We are all very disappointed. We expected far more from ourselves,” Chawaguta said.
“We struggled badly in our batting. We couldn’t get started, losing too many wickets early. That meant we were always trying to catch up.”
He explained the main problems.
“Our top batters did not stay at the crease long enough. We did not build partnerships. In the middle of the game, we found it hard to score runs and the pressure built. We kept losing wickets.”
Chawaguta also pointed to small mistakes.
“We lost games in very small ways. We didn’t get the little things right, even in our bowling and fielding, which could have won us close games.”
While the batting was the biggest issue, bowling had problems too.
“Our bowling was generally good, but we often bowled in the wrong areas early on, giving the other team easy runs. We need our young bowlers to be more consistent.”
He, however, found a positive amid the disappointment.
“Our fielding was a huge improvement. It was on par with the other teams, which is a department we thought we might struggle in.
“Cricket is also a mental game. Players need the confidence to use their skills without fear of failure.”
The path forward is clear.
“We have had honest talks as a team. The players are ready for the challenge. We must improve before we face stronger teams. The squad we took was our best available, but everyone must work harder to be competitive in future.”
