Online Reporter
Veronica Gwaze
Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE Netball Association will be looking to hit two birds with one stone when they take part in the upcoming edition of the Telkom Netball League in Johannesburg, South Africa.
The tournament is pencilled in for April 24, 2026 and it will feature 16 top South African provincial teams and some international invitational sides.
Malawi have been invited for Power Week One which runs up to May 2 in Durban.
Zimbabwe are then expected to take part in Week Two of the tournament, which will be in Johannesburg between May 22 and 31.
Established in 2014 as the Brutal Fruit Netball Premier League, TNL is South Africa’s premier semi-professional netball competition.
It is the major netball platform which brings together their top teams from across South Africa’s provinces to battle for championship.
With South Africa ranked as the major netball powerhouse in Africa, while also rated fourth globally, TNL has proved to be a competitive platform for invited teams.
And after fielding the Gems developmental side- Zambezi Eagles at Telkom last year for exposure, this year ZINA look forward to yet another appearance.
However, with the Netball African Cup tournament coming later in the year, ZINA will have to field a combination of both the Gems and Zambezi Eagles.
“Our international calendar this year starts with the TNL, and we are already laying the groundwork to ensure that our team participates,” he said.
“The league brings together top teams from across provinces in South Africa there by providing us with the competition that we need as we work to refine our team.”
The Zimbabwean side will be made up of more Gems players and a few Zambezi Eagles who have been earmarked to graduate into the senior team.
Banda said the association will be using the Telkom League to weigh their team ahead of the African Championships.
The African showcase is slated for Kenya between September 19 and 26, and it will also serve as the 2027 Netball World Cup Qualifiers.
Banda added that the core of the team to the Telkom League will be drawn from the Gems as Zimbabwe look to use the platform to strengthen Zimbabwe’s World Cup team.
However, with yawning gaps having been identified in some areas on the team, the few Zambezi Eagles to take part at the TNL will be fighting for promotion into the senior side.
“We do not have much time between now and the World Cup Qualifiers so we want to use the very few platforms that we have to intensify our preparations,” said Banda.
“The Telkom league is a big platform so we will capitalise on it; unfortunately, we will not be playing in Power-Week-One so we simply have to make the best out of Power-Week-Two.”
The Gems are also scheduled to travel to Uganda for international friendlies ahead of the biggest regional test in games are set to benefit Zimbabwe as they improve their team.
Ugandan She Cranes are currently ranked second in Africa after South Africa and sixth globally.
With their record, they have automatically qualified for next year’s World Cup.
“Uganda are a force to reckon with and a game or two against them will always be an eye opener and a perfect platform to gauge ourselves,” added Banda.
“We are working round the clock to make sure that we play some friendly games with them in time.
“We would have wanted more international friendlies, but due to limitations on resources, we can only do so much, but I am confident that we will put the opportunities to good use.”
This phase is the final stretch of ZINA’s roadmap, a strategic plan which was drafted in 2024 up to 2027, leading to the World Cup games.
The World Cup finals will be held in Sydney, Australia between August 25 to September 5 next year, marking the third time the city has hosted the tournament. 16 national teams will compete in 64 matches, celebrating the centenary of Australian netball.
Peter Tanyanyiwa