Courtney Walsh appointed as advisor to Zimbabwe Women's team

Former West Indies captain Courtney Walsh has been appointed as an advisor to the Zimbabwe women's cricket team. Walsh, who has coaching experience in various capacities, including as a former bowling coach for Bangladesh, has been tasked with guiding Zimbabwe's female cricketers towards success, particularly focusing on their preparation for the upcoming Women's T20 World Cup.

The Women's T20 World Cup is set to be held in Bangladesh in September-October. Currently, two spots remain vacant for teams to participate in the tournament. The selection process for these spots will take place during the qualifiers scheduled to be held in the United Arab Emirates from April 25th, where ten teams will compete, with two teams advancing to the tournament proper.

Zimbabwe has never participated in the Women's T20 World Cup before, but they now have the opportunity to do so. They are determined to make strong strides from their current position in the planning phase, and Walsh's appointment further underscores their commitment.

Walsh, known for taking the most Test wickets by a male cricketer at one time, will assist the team's head coach, Walter Chawaguta. Prior to this role, Walsh served as the coach of the West Indies women's team from October 2020 to April 2023, during which time the team qualified for the semi-finals of the ICC Women's T20 World Cup 2022.

Zimbabwe Cricket has expressed their pleasure in having Walsh on board, stating that his inclusion brings a sense of prestige to the team.

Zimbabwe finds itself in Group B of the qualifiers alongside Ireland, the Netherlands, the UAE, and Vanuatu. Meanwhile, Group A comprises Sri Lanka, Thailand, Scotland, Uganda, and the United States.

The top two teams from each group will face off in the semi-finals, with the winners of the semi-final matches advancing to the final scheduled for May 7th. The finalists will secure qualification for the 2024 Women's T20 World Cup.