Zimbabwe’s women’s national cricket team is all set to be included in the upcoming cycle of the Women’s ODI Championship for 2026-29. The International Cricket Council (ICC) confirmed that the upcoming Women’s ODI Championship will be expanded from 10 teams to 11 with the inclusion of Zimbabwe.
The ICC Women’s Championship was introduced in 2014 with a total of eight teams: Australia, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and the West Indies. The eight sides contested a series of 3-match ODI series, playing against each of their opponents either at home or away. This served as the pathway for the 2017 ODI World Cup and the 2022 World Cup.
The ICC expanded the championship to ten teams in its second cycle, which is being played from 2022-25, with Ireland and Bangladesh as the newest additions. The top five teams will automatically qualify for the 2025 World Cup, hosted by India, with India directly qualifying as the host. The bottom four teams will face off in the 2025 Women’s Qualifier.
The Zimbabwe women’s team received their ODI status in 2021 and are currently ranked 14th in the Women’s ODI rankings. The expansion to 11 teams will have several positive implications for the Women’s ODI Championship, including an increased number of matches. The ICC is confident in Zimbabwe’s ability to fulfill touring and hosting responsibilities, leading to its inclusion over other Associate Teams.
The inclusion of Zimbabwe in the upcoming Women’s Championship marks another step forward in the growth of women’s cricket.
