Zimbabwe National Women's Team announced

[maehara]

Hot off the ZC presses:

The Zimbabwe women's national team taking part in the ICC Woman's World Cup regional qualifiers to be held in Kenya in December was announced last week. The qualifiers will include the hosts along with Uganda, South Africa and Tanzania.

"There have been no major changes in the line-up, apart from the return of Julia Chibhabha into the squad," said Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) Women's Cricket Coordinator, Caroline Nyamande.

Chibhabha was one of the highlights during the final selection processes after defying critics who feared that her fitness levels would disqualify her from the squad. The team will rely on her ability to run hard between the wicket and precision in playing fast bowlers on the front foot. Southern Rocks' Nonhlanhla Nyathi and Sinikiwe Mpofu are no new faces to the squad, Mpofu the more experienced of the two will provide the team with her expertise as an all rounder.

"The franchises have done well working with the players, the ladies have played more cricket in the last eight months and selectors had a tougher time choosing the squad not only because of increased number of candidates but the swell of competitive players," said Nyamande.

ZC introduced the first ever inter-franchise women's age group tournaments in March, starting with development stages from under-13 to senior levels; the five year programme has already started to show signs of progress.

The squad
Sinikiwe Mpofu, Nonhlanhla Nyathi, Ashley Burdett, Chipo Mugeri, Pellagia Mujaji, Julia Chibhabha, Christabel Chatonzwa, Monalisa Chimutashu, Sharyce Saili, Nyasha Gauzeni, Precious Marange, Ashley Ndiraya, Sarah Dambanevana, Thandolwenkosi Mlilo, Sharne Mayers