By Tapiwa Chawagarira
Zimbabwe’s senior women’s netball team, the Gems, have kept their hopes of a third consecutive Netball World Cup appearance alive after beating Tanzania in their final Group One encounter at the ongoing Africa Netball Cup and Sydney 2027 World Cup qualifiers in Nairobi, Kenya.
The victory was a crucial boost for Zimbabwe, who had suffered back-to-back defeats by South Africa and Namibia after opening their campaign with a 57-39 win over Botswana.
The Gems entered the match against Tanzania needing a positive result to keep their qualification hopes alive, and they responded with a determined performance to secure their place in the next stage of qualifying.
Coach Tatenda Shinya said the team had addressed the mistakes exposed in previous matches but acknowledged that further improvement would be required for Zimbabwe to secure a place at the 2027 World Cup.
“After the loss, we worked on some of our mistakes, but I think we still need to do more if we are to qualify for the World Cup,” said Shinya.
He also praised Uganda for the role they played in helping Zimbabwe prepare and said the Gems must now focus fully on their next assignment.
Zimbabwe’s qualification prospects improved following Uganda’s 53-49 victory over Malawi in a closely contested Pool Two encounter.
Malawi, who had won their opening three matches against Zambia, Kenya, and Nigeria, suffered their first defeat of the tournament. Uganda’s win denied Malawi an opportunity to secure a direct route to qualification and opened another path for Zimbabwe to remain in contention.
Shinya said the result had given the Gems another opportunity to fight for a World Cup place.
“Uganda’s victory over Malawi gave us another opportunity to compete for the World Cup. If Malawi had won, it would have meant a direct World Cup entry for Malawi and Namibia,” he said.
“Now they have to play tomorrow against South Africa and Uganda, which is a very difficult task for them to secure World Cup qualification. For us, I think the path is now a little easier, but we just need to focus so that when we face Malawi or any other team in the next stage, we work hard,” he added.
The coach warned, however, that Zimbabwe cannot afford to underestimate any opponent, particularly Malawi, who demonstrated their fighting spirit despite falling behind early against Uganda.
“Most teams have improved. Malawi has improved as well, so we have to focus on every game and every step we take, capitalise on our strengths, and minimise mistakes to secure victory,” Shinya said.
“Malawi are fighting to the last whistle. Imagine coming from 15 goals down and losing by just five or ten goals; that shows they have a winning mentality. We also need to raise our game if we are to compete and achieve better results against Malawi.”
The Gems will now turn their attention to the play-off stage, where another strong performance could bring them closer to securing a ticket to Sydney.
Shinya believes the victory over Tanzania has also lifted the team’s confidence at a crucial point in the tournament.
“Every victory boosts the team’s morale because it’s a step forward toward the games and the World Cup,” he said.
“We just need to remain focused and concentrate on what we want to achieve, not on what people are saying or doubting. We need to coordinate well to qualify, and we have no reason to fail.”
Zimbabwe are chasing a third successive World Cup appearance after making their debut at the 2019 tournament in Liverpool, England, before featuring at the 2023 finals in Cape Town, South Africa.
The Gems’ campaign in Nairobi has not been straightforward, but the victory over Tanzania, combined with developments elsewhere in the competition, has breathed new life into their qualification bid.
With the decisive stages now upon them, Zimbabwe will need to maintain the momentum from their latest victory while eliminating the mistakes that contributed to their two consecutive defeats.
