Chronicle Editor
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE Cricket (ZC) is thrilled to announce that the Lady Chevrons will make their debut in the International Cricket Council (ICC) Women’s Championship, in a move that promises to boost women’s cricket in the country.
The inclusion of Zimbabwe in the ICC Women’s Championship reflects the ICC’s commitment to expanding global representation and creating more opportunities for women’s cricket.
The competition will see Zimbabwe hosting South Africa, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Ireland, while also playing away matches against India, New Zealand, Bangladesh and Pakistan according to the ICC’s 2025-2029 Future Tours Programme.
ZC chairperson, Tavengwa Mukuhlani, is excited about the prospect of the Lady Chevrons playing against some of the world’s most talented female cricketers and believes this tournament is an excellent opportunity for Zimbabwe to showcase its cricket talent.
“This is an exciting and historic development for Zimbabwean women’s cricket. Being part of the ICC Women’s Championship opens up incredible opportunities for our players to compete against the best in the world, which is vital for their growth and development.
“It’s a chance to showcase the immense talent we have in Zimbabwe and inspire a new generation of young women to pursue cricket,” said Mukuhlani.
The ZC boss, who was recently named interim chairperson of the Africa Cricket Association (ACA), said they are looking forward to leaving an indelible mark on the global stage.
“We are ready to embrace this challenge and make our country proud on the international stage,” he said.
In this upcoming cycle, each of the 11 teams will compete in four home and four away series, with a total of 44 series and 132 one-day internationals to determine qualification for the 2029 ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup.
Beyond the Championship, the new FTP cycle promises more than 400 matches across all formats, bringing exciting competition and expanded international exposure to women’s cricket.
Meanwhile, the ICC has introduced a T20 Champions Trophy — to be held in Sri Lanka in 2027 — as part of its strategic plan to have at least one women’s global tournament each year.
This new tournament will feature six teams and will comprise 16 matches. The addition of this tournament to the women’s calendar means there will be three global events, including the Los Angeles Olympics (August 2028) and T20 World Cup (September 2028) over a 12-month period.
This takes the count of all ICC senior women’s events in the new FTP cycle to five: two T20 World Cups (2026 and 2028), two ODI World Cups (2025 and 2029) and a T20 Champions Trophy in 2027.
The ODI World Cup will have 10 teams playing 48 matches from 2029 (up from eight teams, and 31 matches, till 2025),and the T20 World Cup will be expanded to 12 teams playing 33 matches from 2026 (up from 10 teams and 23 matches till 2024).
Online Reporter