Zimbabwe will take centre stage at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026 Global Qualifier after fixtures for the decisive tournament were revealed on Tuesday, setting the countdown for a high-stakes contest in Nepal that will determine the final four teams to qualify for the showpiece event in England and Wales.
The Global Qualifier will run from 14 January to 1 February 2026 in Kathmandu, with 10 teams battling for the remaining World Cup places. Zimbabwe, drawn in Group B, will begin their campaign on the opening day of the tournament on 18 January against Papua New Guinea in the morning session, before facing a demanding schedule against Nepal, the Netherlands, Scotland and Thailand.
For Zimbabwe, the Qualifier represents a crucial opportunity to return to the Women’s T20 World Cup stage. The Lady Chevrons have shown steady progress in recent years and will be aiming to convert that growth into qualification, starting with a strong showing in the group phase.
The tournament will be hosted at two venues in Kathmandu, the Tribhuvan University International Cricket Ground and the Upper Mulpani Cricket Ground. Matches will be played as double-headers throughout the event, with morning games starting at 9am local time and afternoon matches beginning at 1pm.
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The competition officially gets underway on 18 January following a series of warm-up matches that begin on 14 January, giving teams valuable preparation time in Nepalese conditions. A total of 10 warm-up games have been scheduled ahead of the opening day.
The 10 teams have been divided into two groups of five. Zimbabwe are grouped alongside hosts Nepal, the Netherlands, Scotland and Thailand in Group B, a pool that promises closely fought contests. Group A features Bangladesh, Ireland, Namibia, Papua New Guinea and the United States.
Each team will face the others in their group once, with the top three sides from each group progressing to the Super 6s stage. In that phase, the six remaining teams will compete in a round-robin format, carrying forward results against fellow qualifiers from their group. At the end of the Super 6s, the top four teams on the table will secure their places at the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The World Cup itself is scheduled to take place in England and Wales in June and July this year, making the Nepal Qualifier the final hurdle for teams still chasing a place on the global stage.
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