Zimbabwe have emerged as one of two options being considered to host the Women's T20 World Cup this year, reports espncricinfo.com.
The tournament, which is due to start on October 3 and was scheduled for Bangladesh, is likely to be moved after anti-government agitations prompted security concerns.
The UAE is the other place being considered, after India ruled themselves out on Thursday. It is understood that a decision is expected to be made by the ICC board on Tuesday, August 20.
Zimbabwe's interest, confirmed to ESPNcricinfo, comes on the back of intentions to promote themselves as a destination for big cricket after successfully hosting the last two ODI World Cup Qualifiers (in 2018 and 2023). The country last hosted a World Cup in 2003, along with South Africa and Kenya.
Since then, Zimbabwe spent several years isolated from major events, which included the Robert Mugabe regime cutting itself off from much of the world, hyperinflation, a self-imposed Test hiatus between 2005 and 2011, and the men's team failing to qualify for two successive ODI World Cups and two of the last three T20 World Cups.
The women's team has never competed at a World Cup (neither have the UAE's) and will not feature at this year's event either, but Zimbabwe are eager to be neutral hosts of the tournament.
Zimbabwe will 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 then, the country will have two more international grounds with Zimbabwe Cricket and local government authorities working together to build multi-purpose facilities in Victoria Falls and Mutare.
Zimbabwe express interest in hosting Women's T20 World Cup 2024
FE Team | Published: August 16, 2024 22:40:26
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