In a landmark moment for Zimbabwean cricket, the Zimbabwe women’s national team is set to embark on its first-ever tour of the United States for a bilateral series. The historic multi-format tour, which runs from April 25 to May 3, 2025, will feature three T20 Internationals and two One-Day Internationals, all scheduled to be played at the Grand Prairie Stadium in Texas.
The tour will kick off with the T20I leg, beginning on April 25, followed by the second and third matches on April 27 and 29. The teams will then transition to the ODI format, with matches slated for May 1 and 3.
The two sides last met in October 2024 when USA toured Harare for a five-match ODI series. In a tightly contested affair, Zimbabwe edged out the visitors with a 3-2 series win, showcasing the growing competitiveness between the two emerging cricketing nations.
For this milestone tour, Zimbabwe have named a 15-member squad that blends experience with youth. Seasoned players such as Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Josephine Nkomo, who was the highest wicket taker in the ODI series against USA, Modester Mupachikwa, who was the highest run-scorer in the same series, Precious Marange, Loreen Tshuma, Chiedza Dhururu and Nomvelo Sibanda bring a wealth of experience to the side, while exciting young talents like Kelis Ndhlovu, Beloved Biza, and Natasha Mthomba, Adel Zimunu and Lindokuhle Mabhero highlight the team’s focus on the future.
From the previous squad, experienced players like Christabel Chatonzwa, Sharne Mayers, and Ashley Ndiraya have been omitted, making way for fresh faces in this important series.
This tour marks a significant step forward for Zimbabwe Cricket’s efforts to expand international exposure and competitive opportunities for their women’s team. It also serves as the beginning of an important phase in Zimbabwe Women’s calendar, as they prepare for upcoming challenges including the Ireland series in July and the Africa regional qualifiers later this year.
Speaking ahead of the tour, head coach Walter Chawaguta emphasized its value, “The US tour is a start to steady build-up towards the Ireland series in July which will give us a gauge in terms of where we are ahead of the FTP next year. It also kickstarts our journey towards the Africa qualifiers later this year.” Regarding the squad, Chawaguta emphasized that the selection was made with a focus on long-term development, aiming to expand the player pool and foster increased competition for places within the team.
Prior to their ODI series against the USA, Zimbabwe had shown commendable progress, though their form had been somewhat inconsistent. They enjoyed a solid T20I series win over Papua New Guinea but struggled during the Namibia Tri-Series. In the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier, Zimbabwe demonstrated glimpses of their potential, securing wins over the UAE and USA in the warm-up match, but were ultimately undone by defeats to Vanuatu, Ireland, and the Netherlands.
While their ODI performances were more stable, the T20 format revealed areas that still needed refinement. As they move forward, this series against the USA presents a vital opportunity for Zimbabwe to build on their progress, iron out inconsistencies, and strengthen their preparations for future global challenges.
Zimbabwe women squad for USA tour:
Biza Beloved, Chipare Francesca, Dhururu Chiedza, Mabhero Lindokuhle, Makusha Tendai, Marange Precious, Mthomba Natasha, Mugeri-Tiripano Chipo, Mupachikwa Modester, Ndhlovu Kelis, Nkomo Josephine, Pasipanodya Runyararo, Sibanda Nomvelo, Tshuma Loreen, Zimunu Adel
Non-Travelling Reserves: Gwanzura Nyasha, Ndiraya Kelly
United States of America vs Zimbabwe women’s series schedule:
April 25 – 1st T20I
April 27 – 2nd T20I
April 29 – 3rd T20I
May 01 – 1st ODI
May 03 – 2nd ODI
*All matches will be played at Grand Prairie Stadium, Texas
