The Zimbabwe Domestic T20 Competition is the premier T20 cricket competition of the country. It is organized by the Zimbabwe Cricket board and has been held since 2006. The tournament was not held between 2013 to 2015 and from 2016 to 2018.
The first three editions of the tournament featured teams that represented the different parts of the country. Thus, these teams were named Northerns, Southerns, Easterns, Westerns, and Centrals. In these initial editions, Namibia’s cricket team also took part.
The reorganization of Zimbabwe’s cricket structure had its effect on the Domestic T20 Competition as well. The teams were now represented by franchises. Northerns became Mashonaland Eagles, Southerns became Southern Rocks, the Easterns were now Mountaineers, the Westerns were Matabeleland Tuskers, and the Centrals were Mid West Rhinos. An additional team called Desert Vipers was also added. Each team now features both retired and active international players. English county side Durham participated in the competition in the 2024 edition.
Teams face each other in a round-robin format. Each team earns two points for a win, one for a tie or no result, and zero for a loss. Additionally, teams are also awarded additional bonus points for their batting and bowling performances. At the end of the league stage the top two teams contest the finals, the third and fourth placed teams face each other in a third-spot play-off, and the bottom two sides play for the fifth-spot finish.
The Mashonaland Eagles is the most successful side, having won four titles as of 2024. However, in the latest edition of the Zimbabwe Domestic T20 competition, in a lopsided final, the Mashonaland Eagles were bowled out for only 16 runs in their chase of the mammoth score of 229 runs posted by Durham.
