“It would have been easy to give up” – Zimbabwean women’s cricket captain on the roller coaster

Two years has been difficult for the Zimbabwean women’s cricket team, but Captain Mary-Anne Musonda’s Century Winner One Day International (ODI) debut gives the team hope for a much brighter future.

Not only on the field, but also outside, as Zimbabwe will host a global qualifying tournament for the Women’s Cricket World Cup in November and December 2022.

“It’s been a roller coaster frankly,” Musonda told BBC Sport Africa.

“Looking back on the path we’ve taken since 2019, we have even more reason to celebrate now.”

The trip continued on Thursday to Zimbabwe lost one of its four ODIs Against Ireland when Musonda was returned to earth when he ruled only four runs.

Still, flexibility is a feature of this side, as Musonda and his teammates could easily have thrown in the towel many times.

Variable assets

Lady Chevrons skipped the 2019 World T20 World Qualifiers when Zimbabwe’s cricket was suspended the intervention of the International Cricket Council on their departure date.

Then 2020 looked like a futile and passive year for Covid-19 and their journey to the World Cup qualifiers for women over the age of 50, which took place last July as the tournament was postponed.

Musonda still recalls a last-minute cancellation of his trip to Scotland’s global T20 qualifier in 2019 when he hosted and won the Africa qualifier.

“I vividly remember the disappointment of how helpless we were, because nothing would change for us at that moment – it was a bitter moment,” he said.

“Then 2020 was another year of doing nothing. It always felt like every time we had to go on tour, something would happen.

“The competition will make you better than you expect. When it is taken away from you twice, it will disappoint.”

The international cricket council granted the team one-day international status in April, which means they now play women’s cricket at the highest level.

And how Musonda shone in the team’s first ODI, playing different punches with a four-win victory over Ireland in Harare.

“It was like all the negative emotions of the last two years were behind us, and the victory and the turn of the century was incredible,” he smiled.

“It would be easy to give up our dream”

After winning the African qualifier in Botswana in September, Zimbabwe hosted the Women’s World Cup qualifier in November and December and has 10 teams involved. The top three teams will advance to next year’s final.

Participating in the tournament, such as Pakistan, West Indies and Sri Lanka, is a challenge for Zimbabwe, but Musonda is hopeful.

“It means a lot of hosting, and playing in our home is an advantage,” he said. “Getting ODI status and winning our first game puts us in a good position to give confidence.

“Qualifying at home is fast-paced, we’re on the right track, we hope we continue on a positive path and that we learn a lot of lessons along the way.”

“We’ve stayed together as a team, and we have to dream, believe, and move on – it could have been easy to give up on our dream two years ago.”

Prior to these qualifiers, Zimbabwe could win their first ODI series — two games left in Harare, on Saturday and Monday, and the situation is flat 1-1.