By Zim Sport Live Writer
The Zimbabwe senior women cricket team is set to tour Ireland in July for a white ball series which will include three T20Is and two ODIs to be played in Pembroke and Stormont respectively.
Zimbabwe are making their historic debut in the ICC Women’s Championship which will see them host teams like South Africa, West Indies, Sri Lanka and Ireland, while embarking on away series against India, New Zealand, Bangladesh and Pakistan as part of the the ICC’s 2025-2029 Future Tours Programme (FTP).
The country’s inclusion marks the expansion of the ICC Women’s Championship to 11 teams and the Irish Tour will help the team gauge itself against top opposition.
It was in October last year when the Lady Chevrons last played international matches when the USA team visited for a five match ODI series which the hosts won 3 – 2.
Cricket Ireland announced the upcoming visit by the Zimbabwe women cricket team as well as an action packed summer for the Irish cricket teams on Tuesday.
“As we say: it’s summer, it must be cricket. And this summer Irish fans will be able to enjoy some of the world’s best cricketers playing on these shores. On the men’s side, we have West Indies and England here, while Pakistan’s and Zimbabwe’s women’s sides will tour as well,” Warren Deutrom, Chief Executive of Cricket Ireland, said.
“What is exciting for Irish cricket fans, though, is not just the international cricket, but also a range of domestic cricket advancements, including the launch of a new franchise league, expansion of the men’s and women’s domestic T20 competitions, as well as a great initiative to introduce two-day red ball to the Future Series. Indeed, by these latter changes have been designed to enhance our domestic offering and strengthen the pathway system.
“The Ireland Wolves, as recently announced, are heading to Abu Dhabi for a major tour – and all of this cricket is bookended by Ireland Women competing in two World Cup qualifiers. The first of these qualifiers will see Ireland Women attempt to progress to the 50-over Cricket World Cup for the first time since 2005.
“Off the field, recent Programme for Government announcements will enable us to continue our planning for the new Dublin stadium and for the 2030 T20 World Cup, while we’re looking forward to announcing infrastructure and facilities investments across Ireland as part of our expanded Club Fund, and also formally welcoming Connacht Cricket Union to the fold. All in all, on and off the pitch, in time this will be recognised as one of the more consequential years in Irish cricket history.
“One planned series that won’t go ahead for financial reasons is against Afghanistan. This decision is part of our management of short-term budgetary constraints, as well as our requirement to comply with the Board’s mandate to deliver balanced investment across the organisation’s strategic objectives,” he added.
The first of the three matches T20 series will be played on July with the second two days later and the final one on July 23.
The two ODI matches are scheduled for July 26 and 28.
Ireland Women v Zimbabwe Women schedule
20 July: Ireland Women v Zimbabwe Women (1st T20I; Pembroke)
22 July: Ireland Women v Zimbabwe Women (2nd T20I; Pembroke)
23 July: Ireland Women v Zimbabwe Women (3rd T20I; Pembroke)
26 July: Ireland Women v Zimbabwe Women (1st ODI; Stormont)
28 July: Ireland Women v Zimbabwe Women (2nd ODI; Stormont)