The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE have qualified for the 2023 Netball World Cup to be held in Cape Town, South Africa after a dazzling display to record a sweet 59-41 victory over Zambia in a third place playoff at the Africa Netball World Cup Qualifier in Pretoria yesterday.
President Mnangagwa also congratulated the team for a job well done. “Congratulations to the Zimbabwe Gems for qualifying for the Netball World Cup – you should be immensely proud!,” he said on his twitter social media handle.
President Mnangagwa
With South Africa, the hosts of next year’s tournament having already secured their place despite being in yesterday’s final against Malawi, the Ropafadzo Mutsauki coached Gems had to finish third in order to qualify for the global showpiece and they did exactly that. After the win over Zambia, Mutsauki declared that they wanted to finish in a better position than they did at the last World Cup in England.
“Now we are going back to the drawing board, work extra hard to achieve a better goal than eighth position, we are aiming top six now and we are definitely going to achieve our goal as Team Zimbabwe, we are so proud and we are happy,’’ declared Mutsauki.
While precision was an issue for the Gems against the Malawians, there were no such problems this time around as goal shooter Joice Takaidza was precise with her shooting. Her conversion was on point, her 17 attempts yielded 15 of Zimbabwe’s 16 goals in the first quarter. At the end of that opening quarter, the Gems led 16-12. The crowd at the University of Pretoria’s Rembrandt Hall was firmly behind the Gems, with the Lady Chevrons, on a tour to South Africa taking time out to back their netball counterparts and that surely pushed the Zimbabwean girls.
Ropafadzo Mutsauki
Heading into halftime, Zimbabwe were 30-26 up, enjoying a slender four goal advantage. By the end of the third quarter, it was much clear who the better side was as Zimbabwe were 43-32 in front with an 11 goal advantage and further stretched their lead in the last stanza of the game to win by a resounding 18 goals. Such a dominant display saw Claris Kwaramba walk away with the Player of the Match accolade. “We are proud that we have made it again to the World Cup and we are promising that we are going there not only to participate but to deliver and come back victorious,’’ remarked Mutsauki.
Despite being clearly in pain, Takaidza lasted 43 minutes in the match until she was replaced by another sharp shooter Sharon Bwanali towards the end of the third quarter.
It is the second time in a row that Zimbabwe have qualified for the Netball World Cup having made it to the 2019 tournament held in England. They join South Africa, Malawi and Uganda as the African representatives at next year’s World Cup.
Joice Takaidza
Mutsauki said they had to keep it tidy at the back since Zambia are dangerous in attack. He also saluted Takaidza whose presence he felt lifted the team. “Zambia is good on the offensive side so we had to work more on the defensive side and it worked well, thanks for the confidence that came from Joice Takaidza, she was the morale booster to the girls because of her experience so when Sharon came in, it was just damage control, it was already done, I am happy the girls made us proud,’’ the coach remarked.
For a country that is success starved sporting wise, the Gems have done Zimbabwe proud and the onus is on the Government and the corporate world to ensure that the girls get adequate preparations for next year’s World Cup.
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