Zimbabwe Women coach Brent on SA tour plans, Returning duo, Qualifier chances

Zimbabwe women’s Josephine Nkomo bowls against Thailand Women at Takashinga Sports Club

Zimbabwe Women Head Coach Gary Brent has spoken ahead of the team’s run-in to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2022.

Zimbabwe’s ongoing preparations for the will continue with a tour to South Africa where they will play five Twenty20 matches against the South Africa Emerging Women team.

The matches are scheduled for 28, 29 and 31 August, with the last two set for 2 and 3 September in Pretoria.

Zimbabwe will then travel to the UAE on 7 September for a quadrangular series against Thailand, United States of America (USA) and the hosts as part of their final preparations for the qualifying tournament.

Zimbabwe are in Group B alongside Thailand, Papua New Guinea and UAE.

Here is what Brent had to say:

On what they wat to achieve with the tour of South Africa

We’ve got some plans that we wanna execute, and that’s really our goal is to execute as many of those plans as we can, moving into the [Women’s T20 World Cup Global] Qualifier which is just a few days later. This is a massive part of the preparations. The girls are looking really good in all areas, so we are really excited.

On the return of Josephine Nkomo and Modester Mupachikwa to the camp

Josephine has learnt a new delivery, or maybe she has perfected it,I should say. Modester I know has been scoring runs in England, batting on different surfaces, playing against different opposition, learning new things from foreign soils. They are going to bring that experience to our camp, which is going to be great for us.

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On whether the team has what it takes to qualify for the T20 World Cup

We certainly have it. We definitely have what it takes to qualify. It is how we handle the pressure situations which will tell whether we do or not. We are in a very very good place interms of our preparation, in terms of our progress. And I think what happens in South Africa will determine on where exactly we are because I think that will be a very good barometer of exactly where we are.

On if he is having any sleepless nights ahead of the big weeks ahead

To be honest I am very happy with the girls, I am very comfortable. The girls are playing well. They’re thinking well which is the biggest thing for us. I am certainly not worried about it, am having goodnight’s sleep.