Zimbabwe Women’s T20 World Cup dream ends with a whimper

Netherlands 135-6 in 20 overs (Robin Rijke 39*, Babette de Leede 37 ; Francisca Chipare 2-27, Sharne Mayers 1-5)

Zimbabwe 121-4 in 20 overs (Modester Mupachikwa 39*, Josephine Nkomo 39*; Caroline de Lange 1-17, Iris Zwilling 1-19)

Netherlands won by 14 runs

Zimbabwe are out of the running for a maiden berth at the ICC Women’s T20 Cricket World Cup after losing to the Netherlands by 14 runs in a Group B Qualifier match on Thursday.

Zimbabwe were largely disciplined with the ball when asked to field first, but it was Kelis Ndhlovu’s first over which went for 13 and Audrey Mazvishaya conceding 14 off the 20th making the difference.

The Dutch guarded their wickets jealously early on, after losing Iris Zwilling in the first over via a runout. Their second-wicket partnership extracted 67 runs.

Still, it was not pernicious.

It was Robin Rijke who did the some of damage with an unbeaten 39 off 25 after coming in at number four.

Zimbabwe’s response was tepid, losing their big hitters Sharne Mayers, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano and captain Mary-Anne Musonda for little.

Modester Mupachikwa carried the bat but she had little aggression around her dogged play, meaning her side never really kept up with the run rate.

And that is where Zimbabwe will feel their team was failing. Only Musonda had a strike rate that reached three figures. And it was a flat 100.

After much optimism, Zimbabwe will leave the tournament, absent a world cup place again.

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