Former Zimbabwe fast bowler and international umpire Sarah Dambanevana passed away in Harare on Monday at the age of 36. A release from Zimbabwe Cricket stated she had been in hospital receiving care since undergoing a medical procedure in March.
Dambanevana was a pioneering figure in cricket umpiring. Her senior international umpiring career began on September 2, 2023. She became the first Zimbabwean woman to umpire a World Cup final when she officiated the 2023 Under-19 Women's T20 World Cup final between India and England.
Her notable assignments included officiating at the Women's T20 World Cup 2024 in the UAE and the Women's ODI World Cup 2025 in India and Sri Lanka, where she was part of the tournament's historic all-female panel of match officials. Overall, she stood in 63 senior international matches, comprising 42 women's T20Is, 11 women's ODIs, and 10 men's T20Is.
Before her umpiring career, Dambanevana represented Zimbabwe as a player between 2009 and 2014, including at the World Cup Qualifier in 2011. She joined the ICC development panel of umpires in 2022.
Tavengwa Mukuhlani, the chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), paid tribute to her legacy. "Sarah served Zimbabwe with distinction," he said. "Watching her stand in a World Cup final was a moment of immense pride for our cricket community and our country. She showed young Zimbabwean women that they belong at the highest levels of the game… Her passing leaves a painful void in our cricket family."
Source: Zimbabwe Cricket
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