Zimbabwe and UAE vie to host Women's T20 World Cup
Sornnarin Tippoch, Stafanie Taylor, Harmanpreet Kaur, Sophie Devine, Meg Lanning, Heather Knight, Salma Khatun, Chamari Atapattu, Bismah Maroof and Dane van Niekerk pose with the Women's T20 World Cup 2022 trophy.File Photo AFP
Zimbabwe is one of two potential hosts being considered for the Women's T20 World Cup scheduled for this year. Originally planned to take place in Bangladesh, the tournament, set to begin on October 3, is likely to be relocated due to security concerns arising from anti-government protests in Bangladesh.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is the other option under consideration, following India’s decision to withdraw from hosting on Thursday. The International Cricket Council (ICC) board is expected to make a final decision by Tuesday, August 20.
Zimbabwe's interest in hosting the tournament has been confirmed to ESPNcricinfo, aligning with the country's broader goal of establishing itself as a prime location for major cricket events. Zimbabwe has successfully hosted the last two ODI World Cup Qualifiers in 2018 and 2023. The last World Cup hosted by Zimbabwe was in 2003, alongside South Africa and Kenya.
Zimbabwe has been largely isolated from major cricket events in recent years due to various challenges, including the political situation under Robert Mugabe, economic instability, a self-imposed Test hiatus from 2005 to 2011, and the men's team failing to qualify for several recent World Cups. The women's team has never competed in a World Cup, and neither have the UAE’s, but Zimbabwe is keen to act as a neutral host for this year’s tournament.
Looking ahead, Zimbabwe is set to co-host the men’s Under-19 World Cup with Namibia in 2026 and the ODI World Cup with South Africa and Namibia in 2027. By that time, the country will have two additional international cricket grounds, with new multi-purpose facilities planned for Victoria Falls and Mutare.
For the Women's T20 World Cup in 2024, Zimbabwe could utilise the Harare Sports Club, now equipped with floodlights, and the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, both of which hosted televised matches during the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers.
Zimbabwe’s favourable weather in October, coupled with the potential for strong crowd support, particularly from school children, positions it as a strong contender. Additionally, the lower cost of hosting in Zimbabwe compared to the UAE could be a deciding factor.