Ireland Women vs Zimbabwe Women 2nd T20I: Preview, likely XIs, predictions

After the abandonment of the first match, the second match of the 3-T20I series between Ireland Women and Zimbabwe Women will be played on July 12 at Bready Cricket Club, Magheramason, Bready. Both sides will have the opportunity to take an unassailable lead.

Ireland Women had qualified for last year’s Women’s World T20 in West Indies. While they lost all matches and were whitewashed by West Indies at home in May, they have beaten Bangladesh, Pakistan, and South Africa in the past. In other words, while they have not been formidable, they have competed against the bigger sides.

Their national side took a hit when Clare Shillington, Ciara Metcalfe, and the Joyce twins, Isobel and Cecilia, retired after the World Cup. However, they do boast of a group of exciting young cricketers.

Zimbabwe Women had attained T20I status this year, when ICC decided to grant T20I status to all Twenty20 matches between nations. They have won all 14 matches since then, though they have encountered mostly Namibia, while also playing Uganda, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda, and Tanzania.

Head to head

This will be the first international match between the sides.

Key players

Kim Garth (Ireland Women): Garth, 23, is Ireland’s captain and best batter – and it will probably not be an exaggeration to call her their best bowler. Ireland Women might have been routed by West Indies Women in May, but Garth scored 146 runs at 73 and claimed 4 wickets.

Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano (Zimbabwe Women): At No. 3, not only does Mugeri-Tiripano provides Zimbabwe Women with much-needed solidity, but she can also accelerate at will. In Zimbabwe’s last outing, in the Africa Region Qualifier for the World T20, she had an average of almost 40 and a strike rate of 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 take an unassailable 1-0 lead.