Ireland Women vs Zimbabwe Women 1st T20I: Preview, likely XIs, predictions

The first match of the 3-T20I series between Ireland Women and Zimbabwe Women will finally be played on July 10 at Civil Service Cricket Club, Stormont, Belfast after Zimbabwe Women had insisted on altering the dates.

Matches involving Zimbabwe Women had attained T20I status only since ICC had decided to grant T20I status to all international Twenty20 matches. Since them, Zimbabwe Women have won all 14 matches, though they have encountered only Namibia, Uganda, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Tanzania.

Ireland Women, on the other hand, were good enough to make it to last year’s Women’s World T20 in West Indies. They lost everything there and were whitewashed by West Indies Women at home in May, but at least they have been exposed to the top bracket. They have even beaten Bangladesh thrice, Pakistan twice, and South Africa once.

Immediately after the World T20, Ireland Women were hit by a quadruple blow, when four senior cricketers – Clare Shillington, Ciara Metcalfe, and the Joyce twins, Isobel and Cecilia – had quit cricket simultaneously. Their young guns, however, have made up for that.

Head to head

This will be the first international match between the teams across formats.

Key players

Kim Garth (Ireland Women): At just 23, Garth is Ireland’s captain, best batter, and probably their best bowler as well. She is in excellent form, having scored 46, 51*, and 45 in the 3 T20Is against West Indies Women in May along with 4 wickets.

Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano (Zimbabwe Women): Mugeri (now Mugeri-Tiripano) has been a rock for Zimbabwe at No. 3. She played a key role in Zimbabwe’s 5-0 whitewash of Namibia earlier this year. And in Zimbabwe’s last series, the Africa Region Qualifier for the World T20, she averaged almost 40 and struck at 132.

Likely XIs

Ireland Women: Mary Waldron (wk), Gaby Lewis, Kim Garth (c), Rebecca Stokell, Shauna Kavanagh, Una Raymond-Hoey, Louise Little, Sophie McMahon, Lara Maritz, Celeste Raack, Anna Kerrison.

Zimbabwe Women: Modester Mupachikwa (wk), Sharne Mayers, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Mary-Anne Musonda (c), Josephine Nkomo, Anesu Mushangwe, Ashley Ndiraya, Precious Marange, Tasmeen Granger, Nomvelo Sibanda, Nomatter Mutasa.

Prediction

Ireland to win and go up 1-0.