Ireland's cricket team, under the leadership of captain Gaby Lewis, is set to host Zimbabwe in a multi-format series with a clear goal: to enhance their position in the ICC world rankings. This series includes three Twenty20 Internationals at Pembroke Cricket Club in Dublin, followed by two one-day internationals at Stormont.

Strategic Focus on Rankings Lewis emphasized the importance of improving their ranking to secure direct qualification for future World Cups, thus avoiding the unpredictability of qualifying tournaments. "We aim to reach a stage where our past performances in World Cups grant us automatic qualification," Lewis stated.

Preparation for T20 World Cup This series serves as crucial preparation for the upcoming T20 World Cup qualifying tournament in the Netherlands. Despite the disappointment of not qualifying for this year's ICC Women's World Cup, the team is focused on making a strong impact in next year's T20 World Cup in England and Wales.

New Coaching Dynamics The series also marks the beginning of a new chapter under the guidance of Head Coach Lloyd Tennant, who recently replaced Ed Joyce. Tennant's fresh perspective and focus on bowler development are expected to bring new strengths to the team.

Facing Zimbabwe Historically, Ireland has a strong record against Zimbabwe, winning all seven previous encounters. However, Lewis acknowledges the evolving standards in women's cricket and views this series as a valuable test of their capabilities.

Looking Ahead With home advantage and a supportive environment, Ireland is poised to perform strongly. The team's approach is to focus on continuous improvement and to showcase their best cricket, regardless of the opposition.

Related Topics

• Ireland Cricket
• Women's Cricket
• T20 World Cup
• ICC Rankings