Ireland v Zimbabwe: Hosts out to improve world ranking in multi-format series

Ireland captain Gaby Lewis says improving their world ranking is top of the agenda as her side prepares for a multi-format home series against Zimbabwe.

Two 14-player squads will play three Twenty20 Internationals at Pembroke Cricket Club in Dublin and that is followed by two one-day internationals at Stormont.

Ireland then face Pakistan in another summer series next month before the T20 World Cup qualifying tournament at the end of August.

"We want to improve our ranking, it's something we have discussed," Lewis said.

"We want to get to a point where we don't have to qualify for World Cups because you've already got that ranking and you've put those performances in in previous World Cups that allow you to not have to qualify.

"Qualifying tournaments are always hard, no matter how many teams get through and T20 games can go in ebbs and flows. It's just getting to that point and I do think we have the capability to push on and we have the support around us to allow us to do that."

Ireland's hopes of qualifying for this year's ICC Women's World Cup in India were dashed in the qualifying tournament in Pakistan in April.

But focus is now firmly on making next year's T20 World Cup, which will be staged in England and Wales, with a qualifying tournament taking place in the Netherlands at the end of August.

"I think these upcoming games [against Zimbabwe] will be key preparation, especially with the switch in format from April's games to T20.

"I'm not looking too far ahead to the World Cup, we still have two qualifiers to get through.

"You can't just go into a tournament and expect to win, that's just not going to happen. So, we just have to focus on us and keep pushing forward. No matter who we play against, we just want to give it our all and play our best brand of cricket."

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