By Tapiwa Chawagarira
ZIMBABWE’S senior women’s netball team, the Gems, begin their campaign for a place at the 2027 Netball World Cup when they face Botswana tomorrow in Nairobi, Kenya.
The opening encounter at the Kasarani Indoor Arena is scheduled for 2 pm CAT, with the Gems determined to take the first step towards a third successive appearance at the global showpiece.
The Gems made their World Cup debut in 2019 in Liverpool, England, where they finished eighth, before returning to the global stage at the 2023 tournament in Cape Town, South Africa, where they finished 13th.
Qualification this time around would therefore extend Zimbabwe’s impressive run of appearing at three consecutive World Cups.
Adding experience to the Gems’ technical set-up is former Uganda national team coach Fred Mugerwa, who has come in as Technical Advisor. He joins head coach Ropafadzo Mutsauki, assistant coach Tatenda Wisdom Shinya and fitness trainer Albert Ngorima as Zimbabwe prepare for the demanding continental qualifiers.
Mugerwa brings considerable international experience to the set-up after guiding Uganda’s She Cranes to a historic fifth-place finish at the 2023 Netball World Cup in Cape Town. He spent two weeks working with the Gems during their Harare camp before linking up with the squad in Kenya.
The Ugandan tactician has already introduced a possession-based philosophy, encouraging the Gems to retain the ball, exercise patience and avoid rushed forward passes that can lead to interceptions.
Mugerwa has been impressed by how quickly the players have adapted to his ideas and believes the youthful Zimbabwean side has the talent and potential to compete strongly on the African stage.
The technical team has also benefited from a wider pool of players, with the Zambezi Eagles development project feeding several youngsters into the senior side. The approach has become particularly important after injuries and unavailability ruled out a number of experienced players.
The Gems have gone through an intensive preparation programme that included high-intensity friendly matches against Malawi and Kenya, as well as participation in the Telkom Cup, COSANA Tournament and Celtic Cup.
The African qualifiers, which also double as the Africa Netball Cup, bring together 10 nations, with Zimbabwe drawn alongside South Africa, Kenya, Botswana and Nigeria. South Africa and Uganda have already secured World Cup places through their world rankings, while the African competition will determine the continent’s remaining representation.
For the Gems, however, the immediate task is Botswana.
With a strong technical team, a blend of experienced campaigners and emerging talent, Zimbabwe will be hoping to make a positive start before facing Namibia and Tanzania in their other group matches.
The road to Sydney 2027 starts here.
