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Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
TWO months after their male counterparts dazzled at home to qualify for next month’s International Cricket Council Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia, Zimbabwe’s women’s cricket is just one match away from qualifying for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup.

It is simple for the Mary-Anne Musonda-captained Lady Chevrons – they have to beat Ireland under floodlights at the Sheikh Zayed Cricket Stadium, Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates tonight in the semi-finals of the 2022 ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier to book a ticket to next year’s T20 World Cup to be held in South Africa.

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC)

Zimbabwe have had a solid campaign, with two great wins over Papua New Guinea and Thailand, the only dent being a four-wicket loss to UAE in their last pool match on Wednesday. The Gary Brent-coached ladies topped Group B and face Group A runners up Ireland.

A win against Ireland in the semi-finals would mean that the team will be the first group of Zimbabwean female cricketers to qualify for the World Cup.

From Zimbabwe’s group, Thailand also managed to qualify and will face Bangladesh in the other last four encounter.

The two teams that will reach the final will book their tickets to next year’s global showpiece that will be hosted by South Africa.

Zimbabwe missed out on the last edition in 2019 following the country’s suspension by the ICC when the world cricket governing body deemed that the action taken by the Sports and Recreation Commission to suspend the Tavengwa Mukuhlani led Zimbabwe Cricket board amounted to a violation of the ICC’s statutes. Their spot in the qualifier in Scotland was taken by Namibia whom they beat in the African qualifiers.

Having already beaten one of 2019 finalists, Thailand, the Lady Chevrons will fancy their chances of making it to the World Cup.

The eighth edition of Women’s T20 World Cup is scheduled for February 9-26 2023 after it was moved from its original slot at the end of this year. – @brandon_malvin.