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Eddie Chikamhi

Senior Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE women’s cricket team continued to hop from one misfortune to another after the tour by the Pakistan women’s side was aborted yesterday.

The Lady Chevrons, who went for two years without playing international cricket, had planned to play six games during the series.

This was part of their preparations for the ICC Women’s World Cup.

But, after playing one match, the tour was cut short in response to the latest travel policies of the visiting side’s carrier, Emirates Airlines.

The airline announced it was suspending its flight operations, on the Harare-Dubai route, as from tomorrow, until February 28.

As a result of the travel complications, which this could pose to the visitors, hosts Zimbabwe Cricket and the Pakistan Cricket Board decided to end the tour after just one game.

ZC managing director, Givemore Makoni, said the decision was inevitable.

“It is unfortunate that the Pakistan women’s team have had to cut short their stay in Zimbabwe, as a precautionary move, after some unforeseen air travel complications arose, but their concern is understandable,’’ he said.

“Nonetheless, we would like to thank the PCB for having, in the first place, committed to the historic tour which, we have no doubt, would have been memorable, and a massive boost, for our women’s game, had it not been discontinued.

“We hope to host them again in the near future.’’

The Pakistan women’s side, which arrived in Harare last week, are now expected to return home today.

They had been in Zimbabwe for three one-day matches and as many T20Is.

The tourists were originally scheduled to depart on February 21.

The development is a massive blow for the local side, who were looking forward to the rest of the series, after they went down to the visitors, by 178 runs, in the first one-day match at Harare Sports Club on Tuesday.

This was the home side’s first international game, in almost two years.

They were scheduled to play their second one-day match today, with the final 50-over match on Sunday, and the T20Is next week.

Lady Chevrons coach, Adam Chifo, and his charges were left stranded after the authorities, from the two countries’ cricket boards, reached a mutual understanding to end the tour yesterday.

The latest decision evoked memories of the difficulties the team has gone through in the last two years.

The women’s team were kicked out of the ICC T20 World Cup.

They also had members of the team, and their coach, barred from part in ICC Women’s Global Development Squad in England.

This was after ZC’s membership was suspended by ICC, who were concerned by the challenges, facing the domestic game at the time.

Both Zimbabwe and Pakistan wanted to use the abandoned tour, as part of their preparations, for the ICC Women’s World Cup Qualifier 2021.

The tournament, to be held in June-July, will feature 10 teams.

The top three, from that event, will progress to the 50-over ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2022 in New Zealand.

PCB chief executive Wasim Khan said: “It has been a difficult decision considering Zimbabwe Cricket had put in place excellent arrangements for the series.

“But, the decision by Emirates Airlines to suspend all flights to and from Harare from 13 February to 28 February, has meant that we have to bring the squad back in the next 24 hours.

“We thank Zimbabwe Cricket for their understanding and support, and hope to return at some stage to complete this additional tour.”

PCB said in a statement yesterday the Pakistan men’s tour of Zimbabwe, set for April, will go ahead as scheduled.

“Pakistan men’s national cricket team’s tour of Zimbabwe in April, as part of the Future Tours Programme for two Tests and three T20Is, remains intact, though the PCB will continue to monitor the flight and Covid-19 situation.

“The side is scheduled to arrive in Bulawayo on 17 April,” said the PCB in a statement.

Zimbabwe are also scheduled to tour United Arab Emirates, next month, for their series against Afghanistan.