Chevrons, Pakistan gate takings will go to charity

THE Pakistan men’s national cricket team is set to hold their first training session in Bulawayo this afternoon ahead of the first One Day International (ODI) against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club on Sunday morning.

Fresh from a series of mixed fortunes against Australia, Down Under, the Pakistani national team touched down at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport on Wednesday evening and took yesterday as a rest day.

This tour comes off the back of a successful 2-1 win against Australia. This is the 2023 Asia Cup semi-finalists’ first visit to the City of Kings and Queens in six years having last played against the Chevrons at Queens Sports Club in 2018.

The Chevrons and Pakistan will face off on three ODIs and as many T20Is. With the first ODI set for Sunday, the other two will be played on November 26 and 28, followed by the T20Is scheduled for December 1, 3 and 5.

Pakistan are under the tutelage of Aqim Javed who was named as the new interim white ball coach on Monday taking over the coaching duties from Jason Gillespie. Gillespie had taken over the role following the resignation of Gary Kirsten.

Gillespie will continue to be the head coach of the red-ball side, and will rejoin the side for the upcoming Test tour of South Africa.
Speaking to the media in Pakistan ahead of their departure to Zimbabwe on Wednesday, Javed said their main focus at the moment is ODIs as they prepare for the Champions Trophy which they are set to host next year. He said they are trying to create a settled team in the longer version.

Javed added that they will be giving new players chances in the Zimbabwe tour and it is crucial for them to grab the opportunity with both hands.

“Our main focus at the moment is on ODI cricket ahead of the Champions Trophy. You will see a settled team in this format. You will see changes in the T20I format. We plan to give new players chances in the Zimbabwe series.

“It is a message and opportunity to the new players to take the chances they have been given. If you don’t give new players chances, you will never get the opportunity to improve your bench strength.

“Australia has never been an easy tour. When the team went, if we had said we were going to win the series, people would have thought it’s impossible. Under the new captain (Mohammad Rizwan), they showed the world they could do it after 22 years (by winning 2-1). They also had chances in the three T20Is, but if you don’t avail your chances, you won’t win,” said Javed.

Pakistan enjoys a good record against Zimbabwe in the longer version. The two sides have faced each other on 62 occasions in one-day cricket with Pakistan winning 54 of those matches while the Chevrons have only managed to win five games.

Two games have ended as draws while one yielded no result. Sunday’s game is scheduled to start at 09.30am with gate charges pegged at US$3 for the rest of ground and US$10 for the grandstand. All proceeds from the first game will be directly donated to KidzCan Zimbabwe in support of childhood cancer.

A call has been made to fans to wear orange in solidarity with this worthy cause. — @brandon_malvin