Zimbabwe national women’s cricket team is upbeat of going all in the way in the ICC Women T20 Africa Qualifiers to be held in Zimbabwe in May.
This comes after the International Cricket Council awarded Zimbabwe Cricket the opportunity to host the event.The tournament features nine teams from Africa and will run from May 3 to 13.
Kenya, Mozambique, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Sierra Leone, Uganda and Zimbabwe will face off in the qualification pathway to the ICC Women T20 World Cup. Zimbabwe women’s team manager Samu Nkiwane believes the team is ready for the continental showdown.
“Preparations have already begun because the girls are already in camp. We are running an intense fitness programme for the next three months to make sure that the girls are fit,” Nkiwane said.
“We are playing matches every weekend with the boys under 16 team just to make sure that the girls are fit both physically and mentally for the tournament.
The side’s captain Mary-Anne Musonda believes the side is eager and motivated enough to go all the way. Zimbabwe failed to qualify for the last ICC Women T20 World Cup.
“The fact that this tournament is being played at home gives us that added push…I think pressure is something you cant run away from. “But we have accepted those defeats (failing to qualify), we have taken responsibility and sat down as the technical team on what we can do to better ourselves…so us also hosting is very helpfull because of home advantage,” Musonda said. Zimbabwe Cricket has lined up various tours to ensure the side is well oiled before the tournament commences.
