Faith Ndou
MASVINGO CITY-Masvingo Province is ready to host the U19 Cricket World Cup warm up tournament at Masvingo Sports Club starting Saturday, 10 January 2026 with preparations now 80% complete.
The Masvingo Province U19 cricket team, Southern Rocks will represent Zimbabwe in the tournament.
Southern Rocks are scheduled to face New Zealand on the 12th of January while Pakistan will play Bangladesh on the 10th of January 2026.
The tournament forms part of preparations for the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup which will be co-hosted by Zimbabwe and Namibia later this year.
Speaking during a press conference held after a tour of Masvingo Sports Club yesterday, Douglas Chimhande Director of Infrastructure Planning and Environmental Management in the Office of the President and Cabinet in Masvingo Province, who was representing the Permanent Secretary for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Dr. Addmore Pazvakavambwa, said the province is grateful for the opportunity to host an international sporting event.
Chimhande said hosting the tournament presents a significant opportunity to market Masvingo as a city and promote its local products.
“The business community appreciates the government’s decision to bring international cricket to Masvingo. As a province that is rich in tourist attractions, hosting cricket helps to further market the destination,” he said.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Tourism Authority (ZTA) Regional Manager, Bridget Shambare said the tourism sector in Masvingo is ready to receive visitors.
“As the tourism sector in Masvingo, we are thrilled to be hosting these cricket matches. All systems are in place to ensure that visitors are comfortable and get a true Zimbabwean experience,” said Shambare.
She added that the tournament provides a valuable opportunity to profile Masvingo’s attractions and hospitality services, positioning the province to future visitors, investors and business partners at both national and global levels.
Southern Rocks General Manager, Emmanuel Dube confirmed that the team is geared up and ready to represent the province and the nation with pride.
