India and Zimbabwe players wore black armbands during the first T20I at the Shaheed Veer Narayan International Stadium in Raipur on Friday, with a minute’s silence held before the match to honour former Zimbabwe cricketer and international umpire Sarah Dambanevana.
Dambanevana died earlier this week following a brief illness, aged 36. She had represented Zimbabwe as a fast bowler before moving into officiating and becoming one of the country’s pioneering female match officials.
In 2022, she became the first woman from Zimbabwe to be named to the ICC Development Umpires Panel. Her first ICC assignment came at the Under-19 Women’s T20 World Cup in January 2023.
She made her international umpiring debut later that year, standing in the women’s T20I between Kenya and Botswana in Gaborone on September 2. Her performances subsequently earned her a place among the officials for the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup in the UAE.
Dambanevana’s officiating career eventually took her to 72 senior international matches. She stood in 10 men’s T20Is, 14 women’s ODIs and 48 women’s T20Is.
Her final assignment came earlier this year. She officiated the T20I between Ireland and Thailand in Nepal on February 1 during the 2026 Women’s T20 World Cup Global Qualifier.
ICC chairman Jay Shah paid tribute to Dambanevana and highlighted the significance of her journey from international cricketer to match official.
“We are deeply saddened by the passing of Sarah Dambanevana. Sarah’s journey from representing Zimbabwe on the field of play to making history as an international umpire was an inspiration, and her achievements helped pave the way for more women to pursue careers in cricket officiating. Her contribution to the game will be remembered with great respect, and she leaves behind a legacy that will continue to inspire future generations. On behalf of the ICC, I extend our heartfelt condolences to her family, friends, colleagues and the Zimbabwe cricket community during this difficult time,” he said in a statement.