Lady Chevrons coach Walter Chawaguta believes the win against United Arab Emirates on Saturday night has boosted the team’s confidence ahead of their tough ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier, 2024 Group B match against Ireland today.
A shock defeat against Vanuatu on the opening day left Zimbabwe needing to win all remaining Group B fixtures to reach the semi-finals and fight for one of the two available tickets for the World Cup finals.
The Lady Chevrons do not have a good record against Ireland and, prior to the qualifying tournament, Zimbabwe were prepared to lose this encounter and still fight for a top two place in the five-team group.
Having been denied a spot at the last World Cup by Ireland following a four run defeat in the semi-final of similar qualifiers, Chawaguta believes the team has done it’s research to ensure a victory in today’s match.
“I do believe that we are ready for Ireland and we will do our homework in terms of how we have played against them before.
“We have got footage of their batters, we have footage of their bowlers so we will do a proper study, come up with a good plan for each and every one of their players and if we execute well, I don’t see any reason why we can’t go on to win and beat Ireland,” said Chawaguta.
Having played Ireland early this year in a white ball series without senior players, the Lady Chevrons coach’s confidence has been boosted by the return of the team’s senior players.
“We played against them and we didn’t have a full squad and we ran them very close in some of the matches that we have played against them when they came to Zim and I do believe that with the full complement of our full squad now I think we are more that capable of beating them,” said Chawaguta.
The Lady Chevrons believes the win against UAE on Saturday had boosted the team’s confidence going into today’s match.
“Our confidence is back now,” said Chawaguta.
Meanwhile, after a disappointing defeat at the hands of Vanuatu on Thursday night, Lady Chevrons senior players had an honest discussion among themselves.
Vanuatu registered their biggest win in their cricket history, beating Zimbabwe by six wickets in the opening Group B game of the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier.
Zimbabwe were bundled out for 61 in the 14th over and the minnows reached the target for the loss of four wickets.
The Lady Chevrons responded with a dominant display in an eight-wicket win over hosts UAE on Saturday evening.
Captain Mary-Anne Musonda revealed the frank meeting as they revived faint hopes of securing a top two finish in Group B.
“After the first game we were so disappointed with how we performed. We knew that was not our standard. We went back and talked about the perfomance in particular us as the senior players
“We talked about the need to take responsibility and also have our batters rotate strike, make less risk shot and I am happy that we stuck to our process and it worked,” said Musonda.
She believes the win against hosts on Saturday will bring back the confidence as they eye a World Cup qualification.
“It was a good win and it gives some confidence that we need.
“We are not really thinking about qualification but we are just focusing on the games that are coming.
“If we repeat the same process and we stick to it like we did yesterday (Saturday) it will get us to the final.
“And obviously thinking about the final is still too early and we do not want to be getting ahead of ourselves.
“But we know that if we continue doing what we have done and stick to our processes and repeating the right thing and lessening the errors will get there,” said Musonda.
Herald
