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Sports Writer 

ZIMBABWE Cricket (ZC), has appointed West Indies legend Courtney Walsh as coaching consultant for the Zimbabwe Women’s team, in a bid to help the African Games gold medallists qualify for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024.

He is already working with the side ahead of their participation in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2024, to be staged in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) capital Abu Dhabi, starting on 25 April.

Finalists of the 10-team tournament will qualify for the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024, to be played in Bangladesh later this year.

Walsh, one of the greatest fast bowlers and the first to reach 500 Test wickets, brings in the much-needed expertise and experience, as Zimbabwe Women seek to make a maiden World Cup appearance.

Between October 2020 and April 2023, Walsh was in charge of the West Indies Women’s team as their head coach and helped them secure a semi-final spot at the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022.

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Commenting on his engagement, ZC Managing Director, Givemore Makoni said: “We count ourselves fortunate and privileged to be able to bring in Courtney as a technical consultant for our campaign at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in Abu Dhabi.

“He is one of the world’s greatest cricketers and we believe his experience at the highest level of the women’s game in particular, will boost our chances of securing one of the two slots up for grabs at the main global showpiece, later in the year.”

Walsh watched Zimbabwe Women in action during their recent home series against Papua New Guinea Women before they left for the UAE on Sunday and is now assisting Head Coach, Walter Chawaguta to fine tune the side ahead of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2024.

Zimbabwe are in Group B alongside Ireland, the Netherlands, the UAE and Vanuatu.

Sri Lanka, Thailand, Scotland, Uganda and the United States of America make up Group A.

Top-two finishers in the group stage move onto the semi-finals, with teams finishing first in their groups meeting the second-place finisher in the other group.

The winners of the semi-finals claim the final ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2024 slots before meeting in the May 7 final, for tournament bragging rights.