All you need to know: Ireland Women tour of Zimbabwe Women

Ireland Women are ready to start their eight-match, multi-format series against Zimbabwe Women tomorrow morning in Harare – which kicks off a busy year for the squad in a potential T20 World Cup year.

The two sides will play three One-Day Internationals, followed by five T20 Internationals, with all matches taking place at the Harare Sports Club. The five T20 Internationals are part of the squad’s build-up to the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier, which also takes place in Zimbabwe in April.

The selectors named a 17-player squad last month, with Jane Maguire returning to the squad after missing the Scotland series in November. Once again, Ireland Women’s most-capped player Laura Delany will captain the squad. 

Ireland and Zimbabwe have only played four ODIs previously, in Harare in 2021, with Ireland victorious in three of those matches. It was during the final game of that series that Amy Hunter became the youngest cricketer, male or female, to score a century in a One Day International.

One player to watch out for on the Zimbabwe team is Mary-Anne Musonda. The Zimbabwean captain, 32, spent the summer of 2023 in Ireland playing for the Scorchers in the Evoke Super Series, where she won the Evoke Super 20 Trophy, alongside the likes of Gaby Lewis, Aimee Maguire, and Sophie MacMahon. Musonda scored an unbeaten century in Zimbabwe’s only ODI win.   

The sides last met in a T20 International, in the semi-final of the ICC Women’s T20 Qualifier in Abu Dhabi, which Ireland won by four runs.

FIXTURES

One Day Internationals (ODIs):

T20 Internationals (T20Is):

• 26 January: Ireland v Zimbabwe – Harare Sports Club; Starts at 1pm (11am Irish time).
• 28 January: Ireland v Zimbabwe - Harare Sports Club; Starts at 1pm (11am Irish time).
• 30 January: Ireland v Zimbabwe - Harare Sports Club; Starts at 1pm (11am Irish time).
• 1 February: Ireland v Zimbabwe – Harare Sports Club; Starts at 6.30pm (4.30 Irish time) Day/Night game.
• 2 February: Ireland v Zimbabwe – Harare Sports Club; Starts at 6.30pm (4.30pm Irish time) Day/Night game.

SQUADS

Ireland Women’s squad

• Laura Delany (capt), Ava Canning, Alana Dalzell, Georgina Dempsey, Sarah Forbes*, Amy Hunter, Arlene Kelly, Gaby Lewis, Louise Little**, Joanna Loughran, Sophie MacMahon**, Jane Maguire*, Cara Murray, Leah Paul, Orla Prendergast, Freya Sargent, Rebecca Stokell.

 * Only selected for ODI series

** Only selected for T20I series 

Zimbabwe Women’s squad

• Mary-Anne Musonda (c), Beloved Biza, Francisca Chipare, Chiedza Dhururu (wk), Nyasha Gwanzura, Lindokuhle Mabhero, Precious Marange, Audrey Mazvishaya, Pellagia Mujaji, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Ashley Ndiraya, Kelis Ndhlovu, Nomvelo Sibanda, Loreen Tshuma, Adel Zimunu

LIVESTREAM DETAILS

All eight matches will be livestreamed on the Zimbabwe Cricket YouTube channel.

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