Archive · 7 Sep 2026
Mark Coles Takes Charge of Zimbabwe Women’s Cricket
Zimbabwe has chosen Mark Coles to coach its national women’s cricket team.
He has coached women’s teams in Pakistan and Scotland before.
He will start when Zimbabwe plays South Africa in a home T20I series.
The matches will be held in Bulawayo.
Zimbabwe recently joined the ICC Women’s Championship for the first time.
This competition helps decide which teams qualify for the 2029 Women’s Cricket World Cup.
Zimbabwe will also play India and Bangladesh away and host several other teams.
Coles will work with a group of coaches and support staff to help the team improve.
Zimbabwe Cricket appointed Mark Coles as head coach of the women’s national team after a recruitment process.
Coles will begin his role during Zimbabwe’s home T20I series against South Africa starting Friday in Bulawayo.
He previously coached Pakistan and Scotland’s women’s teams and held high-performance roles in Papua New Guinea and Australia.
Zimbabwe are competing in the ICC Women’s Championship, which determines qualification for the 2029 Women’s Cricket World Cup.
Rangirarai Manyande will be assistant coach, while Zimbabwe retained its Under-19 coaching staff and expanded the women’s selection panel.
- Who
- Zimbabwe Cricket appointed Mark Coles as head coach of Zimbabwe’s women’s national cricket team.
- What
- Coles will lead the senior women’s team, supported by a new coaching and support staff structure.
- When
- He will begin with the home T20I series against South Africa starting Friday; Zimbabwe is also scheduled to tour India in October.
- Where
- The first series will be played at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe.
- Why
- The appointment comes as Zimbabwe competes in the ICC Women’s Championship and prepares for a qualification pathway toward the 2029 Women’s Cricket World Cup.
- Appointed coach
- Mark Coles
- Appointing organization
- Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC)
- First assignment
- Zimbabwe’s home T20I series against South Africa
- Series venue
- Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo
- Championship context
- Zimbabwe’s historic debut in the ICC Women’s Championship
- 2029 significance
- The Championship cycle determines qualification for the ICC Women’s Cricket World Cup 2029
- Assistant coach
- Rangirarai Manyande, responsible for batting