Zimbabwe through to Global Women’s T20 CWC Qualifier

Zimbabwe women cricket ICC — Zimbabwe women cricket PIC: ICC

Zimbabwe Women 150-6 in 20 overs (Modester Mupachikwa 33, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano 25, Ashley Ndiraya 24* ; Mekeyale Mwatile 3-17, Arasta Dieergardt 2-23, Kayleen Green 1-23)

Namibia Women 64 all out in 16.2 overs (Eddelle van Zyl 23, Arasta Dieergardt 10; Precious Marange 3-9, Josephine Nkomo 2-4, Nomvelo Sibanda 2-8)

Zimbabwe Women won by 86 runs

Zimbabwe Women put on a clinical and efficient performance to trounce Namibia Women by 86 runs and book a spot at the ICC Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup Qualifier Global 2024.

While they still have to play a final against either Uganda or Tanzania in the final on Sunday but both finalists will take the last two slots for next year’s event.

Zimbabwe a good start when they were inserted and the opening pair put on 41 before captain Mary-Anne Musonda was trapped leg before for 22.

The next partnership yielded 52 runs, that between Modester Mupachikwa and Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano. Arasta Dieergardt bowled Mupachikwa for 33.

Mugeri-Tiripano would next depart for 25, another victim for Diegaardt.

Ashley Ndiraya had wickets fall around her but Zimbabwe kept scoring and reached a more than competitive 150 for the loss of six at the end.

And it proved to be too much as Namibia were skittled out for 64 runs, with only two players, Eddelle van Zyl (23) and Diegaardt (10) touching double figures.

Impressive was the veteran Precious Marange. The 41-year-old has shown no signs of slowing down, claiming three wickets for just nine runs in her four overs.

Record wicket-taker Nomvelo Sibanda grabbed two, as did vice captain Josephine Nkomo.

For Zimbabwe, Sunday’s final will be a quest to complete a perfect campaign for the third Qualifier in a row.

But even if that does not happen, they will be ecstatic about their qualification.