Windhoek: Zimbabwe and Namibia have secured their places in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier, scheduled for early next year in Nepal. The ten-team event will determine the final four spots for the expanded 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup in England.
Historic Milestone for African Women’s Cricket
Neither Zimbabwe nor Namibia have previously qualified for a women’s cricket World Cup in any format, making this a landmark achievement for the sport in Africa.
Zimbabwe clinched their berth with a five-wicket win over Uganda in the first semi-final of the Africa Region Division One Qualifier. Despite being at 86/4 in the 16th over, they chased down the target with 14 balls remaining.
Namibia followed suit, beating Tanzania by eight wickets in the second semi-final. The two teams will now face off in the regional final on September 6 at the Namibia Cricket Ground.
Global Qualifier Line-Up Taking Shape
Zimbabwe and Namibia join Bangladesh, Ireland, Thailand, Nepal, and the United States in the global qualifiers. The remaining three teams will come from two European qualifiers and one from the East Asia-Pacific region.
The tournament will run from January 12 to February 2 at Kathmandu’s Lower and Upper Mulpani Cricket Stadiums. Ten teams will be split into two groups of five, with the top six progressing to the Super Six stage ahead of the final.
Expanded 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup Format
The 2026 edition of the Women’s T20 World Cup will feature 12 teams for the first time, an increase from the 10 sides in 2024. New Zealand are the reigning champions, having defeated South Africa in last year’s final at Dubai International Cricket Stadium.