dyton mupawaenda
THE 2023 International Cricket Council World Cup is currently underway in India with the opening round coming to a conclusion while the final is set for November 19.
From October 5 there has been at least one game per day. It is being played in the same format as Cricket World Cup 2019 whereby the 10 teams will play every other side once in a single round robin format, with the top four teams going on to the semi-finals.
An overall US$10 million pot has been announced for the tournament with winners of the tournament pocketing US$4 million and the runners-up winning US$2 million.
But more importantly, teams will also collect US$40,000 after every group stage win. This is something that was up for grabs for Zimbabwe’s Chevrons.
The Netherlands have already pocketed US$80 000 while former champions Sri Lanka have also gotten US$80 000 this far after two wins each.
Sri Lanka and the Netherlands are in India at the expense of Zimbabwe, Scotland, the West Indies, Ireland and even the UAE, Nepal, Oman and the USA.
The 10 countries were involved in qualifiers hosted in Zimbabwe in June/July where the top two teams after the Super 6 stage qualified for the ongoing finals tournament in India.
Zimbabwe and Scotland finished the Super Six stage level on six points with the Netherlands but missed out on net run rate.
The Chevrons paid the price for not having a strategy for qualification as they did not seem concerned by the net run rate on the occasions they won matches, especially against the ‘lightweights’ Nepal, USA, Oman and the USA.
It meant that the heroics against the West Indies at Harare Sports Club counted for nothing as the team moved to Queens Sports Club to face a Sri Lanka side that has always triumphed against the Chevrons there and Scotland, a decent opposition.
Against Sri Lanka, the odds were against Zimbabwe and the Chevrons could actually afford to lose that game and still progress to the finals in India.
What was key being the need to put up a fight in the defeat for purposes of the net run rate.
That was not the case as the Chevrons batted first, managed just one half century and were bowled out for 165 in the 33rd over.
And when Sri Lanka romped to a nine-wicket victory with 101 balls to spare, the writing was on the wall for the Chevrons as the net run rate was now in tatters.
But there was still hope as Zimbabwe simply needed victory against Scotland to reach an unassailable eight points.
That was a match needing cool Chevrons heads but they imploded when it mattered most.
First they allowed Scotland to move from 170/7 in the 44th over to 234/8 after their allotted 50 overs, meaning the Scots scored 64 runs for the loss of just one wicket in 35 balls.
Scotland should not have breached the 200-run mark and to reach 234 was a monumental collapse by Zimbabwe in their fielding in the last 35 balls.
Still that was a gettable score for Zimbabwe.
Again, the Chevrons imploded and were bowled out for 203 with 53 balls remaining having been 177/6 at one stage. There was only one half century in the innings.
With the defeat, Zimbabwe were automatically eliminated from the race to India.
The ticket to India had been firmly in Zimbabwe’s hands at the end of the group stages but somehow the Chevrons threw it away.
Now the Chevrons and Zimbabwe cricket fans are watching from the terraces as 10 other teams enjoy a tournament that we ought to have been represented.
There is a saying that “It does not matter how hard you fall, what matters is how long you take to stand”, and there are worrying signs the Chevrons might take forever to stand.
Last week’s tour of Namibia for a T20 International series brought back sad memories of the ICC Cricket World Cup qualifiers.
Test-playing Zimbabwe suffered a 3-2 series defeat against minnows Namibia despite taking a 2-1 lead.
The last two games were there for the taking and Zimbabwe needed just one win but, again, the Chevrons misfired and the big names disappeared when it mattered most.
That is the big problem facing the Chevrons each time they implode. The key batsmen disappear together, fielders fumble regulation catches and trusted bowlers miss their lines and all these tend to happen in the same game.
It happened in the World Cup qualifiers and it happened again in Namibia this week and the fans’ frustration was all over social media, which is disappointing for a team that had become the darling of Zimbabwean sports lovers.
The record turnout for the World Cup qualifiers seemed to have ushered a new chapter in the game of cricket and it is up to the Chevrons to keep the interest levels high.
Another opportunity comes this month when the team takes part in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier 2023 that will be held in Namibia from November 20 to December 1.
Apart from Zimbabwe and Namibia, the other countries taking part in Africa’s final qualifying event are Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda, with the regional tournament’s top two teams booking their places at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 to be co-hosted by the West Indies and the USA.
On paper it should be a guaranteed ticket for the Chevrons and they owe it to the fans.
Online Reporter