Former Zimbabwe cricketer and international umpire Sarah Dambanevana has died in Harare at the age of 36. Zimbabwe Cricket said she had been receiving care in hospital after undergoing a medical procedure in March, and she dies on Monday.
As a player, Dambanevana represented Zimbabwe from 2009 to 2014, including at the 2011 World Cup Qualifier. After transitioning into umpiring, her senior international officiating career began in September 2023. Multiple outlets report that she became the first Zimbabwean woman to officiate a Women’s T20 World Cup final, and that she later worked at subsequent women’s World Cups, including in 2024 and 2025.
Different reports focus on her milestones in umpiring, while others underline her playing career and the timeline of her illness and hospital care following the March procedure. All accounts confirm her death, age, location, and her dual role as former player and international official.
