Respite for Zimbabwe as ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup Global Qualifier is rescheduled

Zimbabwe will breathe a sigh of relief after the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 Global Qualifier dates were changed.

Zimbabwe bowler Audrey Mazvishaya in action during a World Cup Cricket Qualifier match played with Mozambique at Old Hararians Sportbatsman s Club in Harare, May 5 2019.

Originally scheduled for June 2021, the qualifying tournament for the 50 over tournament will now take place in December 2021. The ICC says this is ‘to allow teams the best possible preparation’.

Zimbabwe have had their preparations hampered by the global Covid-19 pandemic. Even a recent tour by Pakistan had to be cut after one match when the visitors’ airline temporary suspended flights to Harare.

But even from that one match, Zimbabwe saw their shortcomings in the one day game, having spent a lot of their time in recent years focusing on the T20 format. Their players tired in the bowling department resulting in lines and lengths sprayed all over the place. Their fielding was also something that needed work as the innings wore on.

So far, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has organised domestic Northerns versus Southerns matches but there are plans to play international matches in the interim. These plans were made before the suspension and now that it is in place it allows for this to happen.

Also critical now is that female stars Nomatter Mutasa and Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano will be both available for selection in December as they will have given birth by then.

Meanwhile, the ICC Board agreed to postpone the inaugural ICC Women’s U19 Cricket World Cup 2021 which was due to be held in Bangladesh at the end of the year. COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the establishment and subsequent development of the U19 programmes in many countries and teams would not be able prepare appropriately for a global event later this year. As such, the inaugural event will now take place in January 2023.

With schools cricket having been interrupted, this will give countries like Zimbabwe time to scour for talent in preparation for that tournament.