Kelis Ndhlovu nominated for ICC Women’s Player of the Month Award

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Teenage sensation Kelis Ndhlovu has been nominated for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month Award for April following her outstanding performances with the ball against Thailand Women last month.

 

She becomes the second Zimbabwean woman to be shortlisted for the accolade, following in the footsteps of national team captain Mary-Anne Musonda who was the first to achieve the feat in October 2021.

 

The 17-year-old all-rounder has made an impressive start to her international career, including appearances at the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 in South Africa.

 

Making her ODI debut for Zimbabwe Women last month, Ndhlovu adapted well against a strong Thailand Women outfit, taking 10 wickets at an average of 5.80 despite her side suffering a series defeat.

 

Her highlight came in the first showdown in Bangkok, where she picked up five wickets for 22 runs.

 

Following up with three for 17 and two for 19 in the second and third ODIs respectively, Ndhlovu continues to thrive on the international stage.

 

The other nominees for the ICC Women’s Player of the Month Award for April, as announced by the International Cricket Council (ICC) on Wednesday, are Thailand Women captain Naruemol Chaiwai and Kavisha Egodage of the United Arab Emirates Women.

 

The candidates for the ICC Men’s Player of the Month for April are Mark Chapman of New Zealand, Sri Lanka’s Prabath Jayasuriya and Pakistan’s Fakhar Zaman.

 

An independent ICC Voting Academy and fans around the world will now be invited to cast their votes to decide the winners, who will be announced next week.

 

Fans registered at icc-cricket.com/awards will be able to vote for their favourite performers until Saturday.

Mountaineers, Eagles stroll to easy Women’s T20 Cup victories

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Rhinos Women – 120-4 in 20 overs (Ashley Ndiraya 51*, Mary-Anne Musonda 19, Josephine Nkomo 14; Francesca Chipare 2/21, Loryn Phiri 1/13, Nyasha Gwanzura 1/22)

Mega Market Mountaineers Women – 121-3 in 16.2 overs (Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano 67*, Pellagia Mujaji 25, Loryn Phiri 8; Mary-Anne Musonda 1/18)

 

Mega Market Mountaineers Women won by seven wickets

 

Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano played one of her finest innings when she made an unbeaten 67 that powered Mega Market Mountaineers Women to a seven-wicket victory over Rhinos Women in a Women’s T20 Cup match in Kwekwe on Friday.

 

Asked to bat first, Rhinos Women enjoyed a strong start with Ashley Ndiraya and Mary-Anne Musonda putting on an opening stand worth 43 runs in 5.1 overs.

 

They were separated after Musonda returned a catch to Loryn Phiri to depart for 19, scored off 18 balls with three fours.

 

Ashley was now joined by one of her two younger twin sisters in the team, Kay, and they added 41 before the latter was given out lbw to Francesca Chipare after contributing 11 off 21 deliveries – 84 for two in 12.3 overs.

 

The sibling affair however continued with the other twin, Kelly, coming on to the crease but the new partnership only lasted two overs, as the younger Ndiraya could only make a single run off eight balls before she was caught by Nyasha Gwanzura to give Chipare her second scalp of the match.

 

The captain, Josephine Nkomo, chipped in with 14 off 15 before she was dismissed at 113 for four off the final delivery of the 18th over.

 

Ashley carried her bat to finish on 51 not out, a brilliant knock that came off 59 balls and included three fours, as the Rhinos Women innings closed at 120 for four in 20 overs.

 

Chipare, with two wickets for 21 runs off her four overs, was the most successful bowler, while Phiri and Nyasha Gwanzura picked one each.

 

Mountaineers Women recovered from the early loss of Phiri for eight in the second over through a run-out to take their reply to 65 for two in nine overs, Rumbidzai Nire bowled out by Musonda for eight as well.

 

Pellagia Mujaji came in to join Mugeri-Tiripano and their 49-run stand for the third wicket took their team to within seven runs of victory with 31 deliveries remaining, the point at which Mujaji was run out for a 21-ball 25 containing two fours.

 

Three balls later, Mountaineers Women completed victory without suffering any further damage, winning the game by seven wickets.

 

Mugeri-Tiripano remained standing, having hit seven fours on her way to a magnificent 67 not-out off 52 deliveries.

 

********************************************************

 

Tuskers Women – 60 all out in 17.2 overs (Natasha Mthomba 13, Lindokuhle Mabhera 10, Nomvelo Sibanda 10; Precious Marange 3/6, Kelis Ndhlovu, Christabel Chatonzwa 1/6)

Eagles Women – 64-2 in 11.5 overs (Kelis Ndhlovu 36, Modester Mupachikwa 23*, Beloved Biza 2; Thuba Saidi 1/2)

 

Eagles Women won by eight wickets

 

Defending champions Eagles Women strolled to an easy eight-wicket victory over Tuskers Women in the other Women’s T20 Cup match played in Kwekwe on Friday.

 

Put in to bat first, Tuskers Women struggled to get going with the willow, with only three of their batters managing to get into double digits before they were bundled out for 60 in 17.2 overs.

 

Natasha Mthomba top-scored for them with 13 off 18 balls, while Lindokuhle Mabhera and Nomvelo Sibanda made 10 each.

 

Precious Marange claimed three wickets at a cost of only six runs off the three overs that she bowled, with two falling to Kelis Ndhlovu for seven runs off the 14 deliveries that she sent down.

 

Ndhlovu then tormented Tuskers Women with the bat, smacking six fours and the only six of the game before she was run out for a 31-ball 36, with a total of 56 runs already on the board after 8.4 overs.

 

Her fellow opener, Modester Mupachikwa, was now joined by Beloved Biza with a simple task to complete the job but the new batter could only make two runs off nine deliveries before she was dispatched back to the changeroom, caught by Dineo Ncube off the bowling of Thuba Saidi.

 

Only one more run was now needed as Precious Marange came on, but it was Mupachikwa herself who sealed the victory in style by pumping a four past deep square leg, taking Eagles Women to 64 for two in 11.5 overs.

 

She finished with 23 not out, including three fours, off 30 balls.

 

2022/23 WOMEN’S T20 CUP POINTS TABLE

TEAM

M

W

L

T

NR

PTS

NRR

Eagles Women

1

1

0

0

0

2

2.408

Mountaineers Women

1

1

0

0

0

2

1.408

Rhinos Women

1

0

1

0

0

0

-1.408

Tuskers Women

1

0

1

0

0

0

-2.408

Back-to-back T20, one-day games get women’s season underway

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Zimbabwe’s women’s domestic season is set to get underway with back-to-back inter-provincial T20 and 50-over fixtures scheduled for this weekend in Kwekwe.

 

Friday will see two Women’s T20 Cup matches pitting Eagles Women against Tuskers Women and Rhinos Women versus Mega Market Mountaineers Women being played at Goldridge College and Kwekwe Sports Club respectively.

 

The following day, Saturday, the same sides will meet in the one-day competition, the Fifty50 Challenge, at the same venues.

 

Eagles Women are the holders of both trophies after achieving a clean sweep last season.

 

They were crowned the 2021/22 Fifty50 Challenge champions after Christabel Chatonzwa’s unbeaten century inspired them to a 167-run victory over Rhinos Women in the final played at Old Hararians Sports Club.

 

Then they completed the double by lifting the Women’s T20 Cup after Kellies Ndlovu came good with a well-paced innings of 46 not out that took her team to a seven-wicket victory over Mountaineers Women in the final played at Harare Sports Club.

 

2022/23 WOMEN’S INTERPROVINCIAL FIXTURES – WEEK ONE

 

DATE

COMPETITION

MATCH

VENUE

TIME

24 February

Women’s T20 Cup

Eagles v Tuskers

Goldridge

10.00

Rhinos v Mountaineers

Kwekwe Sports Club

10.00

25 February

Fifty50 Challenge

Eagles v Tuskers

Goldridge

09.30

Rhinos v Mountaineers

Kwekwe Sports Club

09.30

Mukuhlani named Africa vice chair, co-opted into ICC committee

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Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) Chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani’s influence in the administration of the global game has continued to grow following his latest appointments.

 

He is now the interim Vice Chairman of the Africa Cricket Association (ACA), while the International Cricket Council (ICC) has co-opted him as a member of the ICC Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee.

 

ACA Chief Executive Officer Cassim Suliman said: “We are fortunate to have Mr Mukuhlani – a visionary man I have known from the days of the late Peter Chingoka who was the ACA Chairman for seven years – joining our leadership as interim Vice Chairman.

 

“We are looking forward to him being productive, like he is doing at ZC, to help the ACA move forward in terms of cricket development and growing the women’s game across Africa.”

 

Apart from his inclusion in the ICC Finance and Commercial Affairs Committee, Mr Mukuhlani also chairs the ICC’s Cricket Kenya Committee that has been helping Cricket Kenya in resolving its governance issues, including coming up with a new constitution.

 

He recently served on the ICC Audit Committee and chaired the ICC Membership Committee, while he has also been part of the ICC task force spearheading a bid for cricket’s inclusion in the Olympic Games from 2028 onwards.

 

At the helm of ZC since 2015, Mr Mukuhlani has overseen a turnaround that has brought financial stability to the organisation and is now steering cricket towards becoming Zimbabwe’s number one sport.

Rwanda stun Zimbabwe in Under-19 Women’s World Cup upset

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Rwanda Under-19 Women – 119-8 in 20 overs (Gisele Ishimwe 34, Cynthia Tuyizere 30, Merveille Uwase 18; Chipo Moyo 3/22, Kudzai Chigora 2/21, Tawananyasha Marumani 1/12)

Zimbabwe Under-19 Women – 80 all out in 18.4 overs (Natasha Mtomba 20, Kelly Ndiraya 20, Adel Zimunu 11; Henriette Ishimwe 4/13, Zurufat Ishimwe 2/27, Geovanis Uwase 1/3)

 

Rwanda Under-19 Women won by 39 runs 

Henriette Ishimwe claimed four wickets in as many balls as Rwanda Under-19 Women inflicted a shocking 39-run defeat on Zimbabwe Under-19 Women at the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 in South Africa on Tuesday.

 

The match – the second for both teams in Group B which also includes England and Pakistan – was played at the North-West University in Potchefstroom.

 

After Zimbabwe won the toss and opted to field, Rwanda surprisingly enjoyed an encouraging start with the bat as their opening pair of Cynthia Tuyizere and Merveille Uwase cantered to 49 in 10.4 overs.

 

Uwase was the first to fall, bowled out by Tawananyasha Marumani for 18 off 33 balls.

 

Despite getting that breakthrough, the Zimbabwe bowlers were to continue toiling without further success until the 16th over when Tuyizere was run out for 30, scored off 44 deliveries with two boundaries – 88 for two.

 

Rwanda added a rapid 15 runs before their captain, Gisele Ishimwe, perished in the next over after blasting five fours on her way to an aggressive 34 off only 23 balls, Olinder Chare completing a catch off the bowling of Kudzai Chigora.

 

The remaining three overs saw Zimbabwe grabbing five wickets – three of them being golden ducks – for 16 runs before the innings closed at 119 for eight.

 

Chipo Moyo was the pick of the bowlers, with three for 22, including two scalps off successive balls in the final over, as Rwanda scrambled for late runs.

 

Needing 120 at six runs an over to win, Zimbabwe lost Kay Ndiraya in the second over, caught at the wicket after hitting a boundary off eight balls – 11 for one.

 

Natasha Mtomba however gave them some hope with a fluent 20, scored off 25 deliveries with two fours, before she was bowled to make it 37 for two in exactly nine overs.

 

The captain, Kelis Ndhlovu, again struggled to get going and when she was caught behind in the 13th over, she had managed only seven runs off 11 balls – 60 for three.

 

In the following over, with only two more runs added to the total, Kelly Ndiraya departed for 20, which came off 38 deliveries and contained three fours.

 

At that stage, 58 runs were now required off 37 deliveries with seven wickets in hand.

 

The required run rate however kept rising and when Adel Zimunu was dismissed for 11 to leave her side reeling at 80 for six after 17.5 overs, the death knell chimed.

 

Rwanda indeed went for the kill, Zimbabwe failing to add to their total as Henriette Ishimwe wiped out the tail in the penultimate over, taking four wickets off four consecutive balls, to seal a historic victory for the east African team.

Zimbabwe fall to England in first U19 Women’s T20 World Cup match

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England Under-19 Women – 199-4 in 20 overs (Niamh Holland 59, Charis Pavely 45, Grace Scrivens 45; Olinda Chare 2/34, Tawananyasha Marumani 1/27, Kudzai Chigora 1/33)

Zimbabwe Under-19 Women – 25 all out in 12 overs (Adel Zimunhu 5*, Tawananyasha Marumani 4, Natasha Mutomba 4; Grace Scrivens 4/2, Josie Groves 2/5, Sophia Smale 2/5) 

 

England Under-19 Women won by 174 runs

 

Zimbabwe Under-19 Women suffered a 174-run defeat at the hands of England Under-19 Women in their opening match at the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in Potchefstroom, South Africa, on Sunday.

 

After winning the toss and opting to bat first, England – boasting players who were involved in The Hundred franchise tournament – flayed the inexperienced Zimbabwe bowling attack all over the JB Marks Oval on their way to 199 for four off their 20 overs.

 

Their innings got off to a fierce start as Grace Scrivens, the captain, and Liberty Heap plundered 60 runs off just 31 balls.

 

The opening stand was finally broken when Olinda Chare bowled Heap for 25 off 12 balls which included five fours.

 

Niamh Holland then joined Scrivens to take the score to 93 before the skipper fell in the 10th over for a 32-ball 45, with eight fours, bowled out by Tawananyasha Marumani.

 

It was not before the tally had almost doubled up when Zimbabwe took their third wicket in the 18th over, Kudzai Chigora bowling Holland for a brilliant 59 off 37 deliveries which contained six fours and a maximum.

 

Charis Pavely, who made 45 off 26 deliveries featuring six fours and a six, perished in the next over when she was caught by Natasha Mutomba to give Chare her second wicket, leaving Davina Perrin and Ryana MacDonald-Gay to close out the innings for a massive total of 199 for four.

 

Things did not get any better when Kelis Ndhlovu’s side went in to bat.

 

Adel Zimunhu, with five not out, made the highest score in the innings, followed by Marumani and Mutomba who each managed four runs, with four batters getting dismissed for ducks as England bundled out Zimbabwe for 25 in exactly 12 overs to win the match by 174 runs.

 

Scrivens was largely responsible for the carnage as she finished with four wickets for only two runs off four overs, while there were two scalps apiece for Josie Groves and Sophia Smale.

 

Zimbabwe will face Rwanda on Tuesday in their next match in Group B, which also includes Pakistan as the fourth team.

ZC plunged into mourning again following Sinikiwe Mpofu’s death

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It is with great sadness and shock that Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) announces the sudden death of Zimbabwe Senior Women’s National Team Assistant Coach Sinikiwe Mpofu, less than a month after her husband, Shepherd Makunura, was laid to rest.

She was 37.

Mpofu, the former Zimbabwe international cricket player affectionately known as Sneeze, was pronounced dead on arrival at a medical facility after she collapsed at her home in Masvingo this Saturday morning.

A post-mortem to determine the cause of her death was due to be carried out.

At the time of her tragic demise, Mpofu was still trying to come to terms with the death of her husband, Makunura, the Zimbabwe Senior Men’s National Team Fielding Coach and Southern Rocks Head Coach who passed away on 15 December 2022.

They are survived by two children.

Mpofu, born in Bulawayo on 21 February 1985, was a talented all-rounder who was part of the history-making team that represented Zimbabwe Women in their first-ever international cricket match in December 2006.

She started playing the game while she was still a student at Mpopoma High School and went on to feature for the provincial side Westerns.

In 2007, she joined Takashinga Cricket Club and also made it into the Northerns team after she moved to Harare to pursue further education.

After ending her playing career, she ventured into coaching and scoring, becoming an integral part of ZC’s game development structures at provincial and national levels.

Mpofu has been part of the technical teams that have seen Zimbabwe Women dominating Africa, earning one-day international status and recently finishing just one win away from qualifying for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

Under her tutelage as Head Coach, Mountaineers Women won the inaugural Fifty50 Challenge – Zimbabwe’s provincial one-day championship for women – in the 2020/21 season.

Last season, she led them to another final, finishing as runners-up in the Women’s T20 Cup.

The ZC Board, Management, Staff and Players wish to convey their heartfelt condolences to the Mpofu and Makunura families on the passing of a gifted and hardworking young woman who excelled both as a player and a coach.

“Death has robbed us of a genuinely warm individual, more importantly a loving mother, and deprived so many others, including all of us, of one of the pioneers of women’s cricket in Zimbabwe who went on to excel as a coach at provincial and national levels,” ZC Managing Director Givemore Makoni said.

“With her sudden passing coming just a few weeks after the death of her loving husband, who was also a part of our national team coaching setup, this is particularly a difficult and painful time for their young children, families, friends and the entire cricket fraternity,” he added.

“In extending to them our heartfelt condolences, we wish them courage and strength to bear this devastating loss.”

Arrangements for Mpofu’s funeral will be announced in due course.

Zimbabwe name squad for ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup

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Zimbabwe Cricket has announced the Zimbabwe Under-19 Women’s squad for the first-ever ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup to be held in South Africa from 14 to 29 January 2023.

The side will be captained by all-rounder Kelis Ndhlovu who already boasts international experience at senior level.

Ndhlovu finished with the most wickets at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2022 held in the United Arab Emirates in September, while her batting talent was on show during her maiden tour with the seniors when she was involved in an unbeaten opening stand worth 158 runs against Namibia in April.

The Zimbabwe Under-19 Women’s side, coached by Trevor Phiri, also includes another player with a senior cap in pace bowler Michelle Mavunga.

The Ndiraya twins, Kay and Kelly, are also part of the squad of 15 that is travelling to South Africa for the inaugural tournament.

The ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 has 16 teams that are divided into four groups of four, with the top three in each group progressing to the Super Six stage which will have two pools.

The top two sides from each of the Super Six leagues will progress to the semi-finals, with the final taking place on 29 January.

Zimbabwe are in Group B alongside England, Pakistan and Rwanda.

All Group B matches will be played in Potchefstroom, an academic city in the North West province of South Africa that lies about 120 km southwest of Johannesburg.

In their first match of the tournament, Zimbabwe will face England at the JB Marks Oval on 15 January.

Zimbabwe will then play Rwanda at the North West University Oval on 17 January before taking on Pakistan at the same venue in their final group match scheduled for 19 January.

ZIMBABWE SQUAD FOR ICC UNDER-19 WOMEN’S T20 WORLD CUP 2023:

Kelis Ndhlovu (captain), Kelly Ndiraya, Kay Ndiraya, Adel Zimunhu, Natasha Mutomba, Vimbai Mutungwindu, Danielle Meikle, Tawananyasha Marumani, Michelle Mavunga, Olinda Chare, Kudzai Chigora, Betty Mangachena, Chipo Moyo, Faith Ndhlalambi, Rukudzo Mwakayeni

Zimbabwe Under-19 Women embark on SA tour

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The Zimbabwe Under-19 Women’s side travelled to South Africa this Thursday for a five-match Twenty20 (T20) series against South Africa Under-19 Women.

The games will be played on 1, 2, 4, 6 and 7 October at the Sahara Park Willowmoore Cricket Stadium in Benoni.

Both teams are using the series as part of their preparations for the inaugural ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup to be hosted by South Africa next January.

The Zimbabwe Under-19 Women’s squad includes two players – all-rounder Kelis Ndhlovu and pace bowler Michelle Mavunga – who already boast international experience at senior level.

Ndhlovu was the highest wicket taker at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2022 that ended on Sunday in the United Arab Emirates.

During her maiden tour with the seniors in Namibia earlier this year, she shared an unbeaten opening stand worth 158 runs with Sharne Mayers.

Ndhlovu was also part of the Zimbabwe Women team that played the South Africa Emerging Women side at the start of September.

Mavunga made her debut for the senior team in Namibia earlier this year and travelled with the side to India for a training camp in July.

The Ndiraya twins, Kelly and Kay, have followed in the footsteps of their sister Ashley – who has been in the Zimbabwe Women set-up for more than 15 years – in making it into a national side.

Another player with a national team sibling is Tawananyasha Marumani whose brother Tadiwanashe is a Zimbabwe international.

The youngest members of the squad are Paula Whaley, aged 12, and 13-year-olds Christine Mutasa and Beloved Biza.

At the ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup, Zimbabwe are in Group B alongside England, Pakistan and Rwanda.

ZIMBABWE UNDER-19 WOMEN’S SQUAD FOR SOUTH AFRICA TOUR:

Kelis Ndhlovu, Vimbai Mutungwindo, Kay Ndiraya, Christine Mutasa, Paula Whaley, Michelle Mavunga, Olinda Chare, Danielle Meikle, Adel Zimunhu, Beloved Biza, Tawananyasha Marumani, Kelly Ndiraya, Portia Chihwai, Natasha Mutomba, Kudzai Chigora

Zimbabwe Women reach semi-finals despite shock defeat

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Zimbabwe Women – 120-7 in 20 overs (Sharne Mayers 23, Modester Mupachikwa 22, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano 16; Vaishnave Mahesh 3/15, Khushi Sharma 2/31, Samaira Dharnidharka 1/10)

United Arab Emirates Women – 121-6 in 20 overs (Kavisha Egodage 41*, Esha Oza 36, Vaishnave Mahesh 9*; Loreen Tshuma 2/18, Kelis Ndlovu 2/20, Nomvelo Sibanda 1/21)

 

United Arab Emirates Women won by four wickets

 

Zimbabwe Women are through to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2022 semi-finals despite suffering a shock four-wicket defeat at the hands of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) Women in their final group match played at the Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday.

 

With 14 runs required off the last over, victory had seemed virtually impossible for the hosts.

 

However, in a dramatic finish to the match, Nomvelo Sibanda conceded four wides off the penultimate ball and, with four needed off the very last ball, Vaishnave Mahesh flicked on through the legside, where a misfield gave UAE Women a boundary and an astonishing win.

 

Zimbabwe Women had opted to bat first after winning the toss, with Esther Mbofana and Christabel Chatonzwa coming in for Josephine Nkomo and Audrey Mazvishaya in the only changes to the team.

 

Sharne Mayers and Kelis Ndlovu scored 23 and eight respectively before Mahesh dismissed both openers, making it 42 for two after 7.5 overs.

 

In the 11th over, they were down to 57 for three after Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, who chipped in with 16, was caught by Samaira Dharnidharka off the bowling of Khushi Sharma.

 

Although Zimbabwe Women kept building the innings with a series of small stands, none of the partnerships really took off as UAE Women kept a leash on the scoring rate with frequent wickets.

 

Mary-Anne Musonda and Modester Mupachikwa contributed 32 before Mahesh struck again, getting Musonda caught for 15 by Edogage – 89 for four in the 16th over.

 

The final push also never quite materialised for Zimbabwe Women, with Sharma bowling the well-set Modester Mupachikwafor 22 immediately after dismissing Pellagia Mujaji for 13 in the same over, the 19th, the score now being 109 for six.

 

The innings then petered out to 120 for seven at the completion of the 20 overs.

 

The run chase started off badly for UAE Women, as Sibanda sent opener Theertha Satish back to the pavilion off the second ball with only four runs on the board.

 

However, Esha Oza and Kavisha Edogage were clearly unperturbed by the early blow as they built a 57-run stand for the second wicket to put the tournament hosts on top.

 

The partnership was broken off the final ball of the 10th over, with Loreen Tshuma dismissing Oza for 36, scored off 26 balls with two sixes and three fours.

 

Tshuma then added the wicket of Sharma (8) before Ndlovu struck a double blow, claiming the wickets of Chaya Mughal (4) and Priyanjali Jain (3) to bring Zimbabwe Women back into the contest at 102 for four in the 19th over.

 

However, while wickets tumbled, at the other end Egodage kept UAE Women in the hunt with a steady innings that took the game to the very last over.

 

Having conceded only nine runs in her opening spell of two overs, Sibanda was given the responsibility to hammer the final nail in the coffin of their opponents by defending the 14 needed for victory.

 

But that was not to be as UAE Women stunned the favourites by reaching their target in exactly 20 overs, with Egodage remaining unbeaten on 41, a brilliant knock that came off 57 deliveries and included three fours.

 

Despite the defeat, Zimbabwe Women still finished as Group B winners to set up a semi-final against Ireland Women scheduled for Friday.