Zimbabwe and Namibia made history by qualifying for their first-ever places in the ICC Women's T20 World Cup Global Qualifier, to be played in Nepal in early next year. The tournament from January 12 to February 2 will witness ten teams competing for only four highly sought-after berths in the 2026 ICC Women's T20 World Cup in England. Neither Zimbabwe nor Namibia have ever qualified for a women's World Cup in any guise. This is the moment of breakthrough for both countries as they seek to translate their qualification into a fairy tale run on the global stage. Road to Qualification Zimbabwe secured their place after thrashing Uganda in the first semi-final of the Africa Region Division One Qualifier in Windhoek. Hosts Namibia defeated Tanzania in the second semi-final to secure their qualification. The two African nations will now face each other in the regional final on September 6. Also Read | UP T20 League Rocked by Match Fixing Allegations, FIR Filed With this, Zimbabwe and Namibia complete Bangladesh, Scotland, Ireland, Netherlands, Thailand, Nepal, and USA in the global qualifier roster. The final participant in the tenth spot will be drawn from the East Asia-Pacific regional qualifier, which starts on September 9 in Fiji. The Global Qualifier will consist of ten teams divided into two groups of five. The top six teams will qualify for the Super Six stage, which will determine the finalists. Games will be played in Lower Mulpani and Upper Mulpani Cricket Stadiums in Kathmandu. A Bigger Stage in 2026 The 2026 Women's T20 World Cup in England will be a major expansion of the event, with a record 12 teams fighting it out for the first time, up from 10 at the 2024 tournament. Champions New Zealand will be targeting another title after beating South Africa by a single run in an epic 2024 final in Dubai. For Zimbabwe and Namibia, making it to the global qualifier in itself is historic, but the two sides are now fantasizing about getting the ultimate prize, a first-ever Women's World Cup appearance.