By Zim Sport Live Writer
Opening batter Sharne Mayers has been recalled to the Zimbabwe Women squad for this month’s historic five-match Twenty20 International series against South Africa Women in Bulawayo.
The series, which begins at Queens Sports Club on Friday, will mark the first visit to Zimbabwe by South Africa’s senior women’s side.
Mayers returns to the national team after a two-year absence. The experienced batter, who has played 13 One-Day Internationals and 33 T20Is for Zimbabwe, last featured in an ODI against the United States in 2024.
Zimbabwe have also welcomed back captain Josephine Nkomo, who missed the team’s white-ball tour of Pakistan in May through injury. The all-rounder will lead the side for the first time since being confirmed as captain.
Nyasha Gwanzura also returns to the squad, alongside experienced players Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Modester Mupachikwa, Loreen Tshuma and Loryn Phiri.
Zimbabwe’s squad also includes three players who featured at last week’s ICC Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier Division One in Dar es Salaam. Under-19 captain Lorraine Pemhiwa has been selected alongside Beloved Biza and Christina Mutasa.
The series will be the first assignment for Mark Coles since his appointment as Zimbabwe Women’s substantive head coach earlier this week.
Zimbabwe Women will play at home for the first time since hosting the United Arab Emirates in a bilateral series at Queens Sports Club in September and October 2025.
Since then, they have been on the road for tours of New Zealand and Pakistan.
Although Zimbabwe have previously played South Africa Women’s Emerging side, the two senior teams have met only twice before, during an ODI quadrangular series in Potchefstroom in 2017.
The hosts will go into the series looking to rebuild after a disappointing campaign at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier in Nepal earlier this year.
They face a major test against South Africa, who are fifth in the ICC Women’s T20I Team Rankings and finished runners-up at the past two editions of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.
The first T20I will be played on Friday, 11 September, with the remaining matches scheduled for 13, 15, 17 and 19 September at Queens Sports Club.
Zimbabwe Women squad
Josephine Nkomo (captain), Beloved Biza, Kudzai Chigora, Francesca Chipare, Nyasha Gwanzura, Lindokuhle Mabhera, Tendai Makusha, Michelle Mavunga, Sharne Mayers, Modester Mupachikwa, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Christina Mutasa, Kelis Ndhlovu, Lorraine Pemhiwa, Loryn Phiri, Nomvelo Sibanda, Loreen Tshuma.