Zimbabwe: ZDF Queens Bask in PNL Title Glory

19 November 2024
The Herald (Harare)
By Tadious Manyepo

Zimbabwe Defence Forces Queens are riding on the crest of the wave after completing a remarkable tale by winning the Premier Netball League without dropping a single point in the entire season.

The term came to a close at White City Stadium in Bulawayo on Sunday where the military club faced the most delicate fixtures in the final bubble of the year.

Going into the season finale, ZDF Queens led the standings by four points but they still had some huge work cut out for them with second-placed Black Rhinos and Harare City in third place lined up to face them off.

But they threw in some spirited showing, first seeing off Harare City by seven points before they ground out a tw0-point win over Black Rhinos to fence off their place at the apex and march to the podium.

Although they were effectively confirmed the champions by the time the final whistle went off for their duel with Harare City, ZDF Queens still needed to beat friendly force side Black Rhinos to secure their newly-found invincible status.

Gems shooter Sharon Bwanali, fresh from the national team's tour of the United Kingdom last week, found herself in the thick of things and made all the difference when ZDF Queens saw off Harare City who were threatening to spoil their party.

But it was Tafadzwa Matura who brought the magical touch in the victory over Black Rhinos to ensure the new champions did it without any blot on their landscape. ZDF Queens coach Phillemon Mangwiro said the achievement was a culmination of the hard work they have always put in.

"I am very happy with how we have managed to win the league title. It is something we have always wanted to win but we were always coming close.

"But we have finally achieved the long-set objective. I would like to give it to the girls for working extremely hard for this," said Mangwiro. "The competition especially from Harare City and Black Rhinos was very stiff but we managed to hold our own and attain the success we have always looked for.

"I should say we had the depth and the players were willing to sacrifice every drop of sweat for us to be where we are today."

Bwanali said the players' mentality was key to winning the league title. "Look, we have so many teams who were keen to win the title and they are all capable of doing that. But the difference was in our mentality as ZDF Queens players.

Read the original article on The Herald.

Tagged:
Copyright © 2024 The Herald. All rights reserved. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). To contact the copyright holder directly for corrections — or for permission to republish or make other authorized use of this material, click here.

AllAfrica publishes around 500 reports a day from more than 100 news organizations and over 500 other institutions and individuals, representing a diversity of positions on every topic. We publish news and views ranging from vigorous opponents of governments to government publications and spokespersons. Publishers named above each report are responsible for their own content, which AllAfrica does not have the legal right to edit or correct.

Articles and commentaries that identify allAfrica.com as the publisher are produced or commissioned by AllAfrica. To address comments or complaints, please Contact us.