THAILAND TAKE PART IN ICC WOMEN’S WORLD CUP QUALIFIER IN ZIMBABWE

Thailand’s women cricketers are now in Zimbabwe and about to play in another major cricket tournament as they try to qualify for their second ICC Women’s World Cup. The Thai girls won the hearts of the cricketing world when they took part in the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup in Australia in early 2020 and they now have a chance to reach the next ICC Women’s 50-over World Cup which will be held in New Zealand early next year.

Thailand are taking part in the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier in Zimbabwe from which the top three teams will qualify for the next World Cup competition. Nine teams are taking part with Thailand playing in Group B alongside Zimbabwe, Bangladesh, Pakistan and United States of America, while West Indies, Sri Lanka, Ireland and Netherlands are in Group A after Papua New Guinea were forced to withdraw.

The top three teams in each group will qualify for the Super Six stage where teams will then play the three teams from the other group. A place in the top three will bring qualification for the World Cup in New Zealand but the top five teams will also qualify for the next edition of the ICC Women’s Championship which will see an expanded number of 10 women’s teams playing regular One-Day International series against each other.

Thailand face Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club in their first match of the tournament today which will also be the country’s first ever official Women’s One-Day International. Thailand will probably need to win two out their four group matches to progress to the Super Six and they are more than captable of beating Zimbabwe as was shown by the recent 50-over series which was drawn two matches apiece.

Thailand have prepared well for this tournament as they played 50-over series against both Zimbabwe and a South African Emerging Players teams with Nattakan Chantam scoring back to back hundreds against the South Africans and Naruemol Chaiwai starting her reign as Thailand captain with a century against Zimbabwe. Thailand’s array of spinners will be backed up by some spectacular fielding but the team will also be looking for early wickets with the new ball from Chanida Sutthiruang who was player of the tournament in the T20 Woeld Cup Qualifier.

Thailand played two warm-up matches before the tournament beating Ireland but losing to West Indies and the girls will probably meet both these teams in the Super Six stage if they can qualify. This is an important week for Thailand cricket as if they can reach the second stage of the tournament they will be close to securing a regular place on the Women’s ODI international calendar and could even reach the next World Cup.