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THE Zimbabwe national cricket team is set to embark on their first major cricket campaign in over six years when they participate at this year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup in Australia.
The team left yesterday after spending the final two weeks in camp in Harare.
There is every reason to be excited as a nation because it is always a big deal in the world of sport to be playing at such a big stage as the World Cup.
This is the apex of competition in any given sport.
Just being there is something to take note of considering only 16 teams from the whole world have managed to qualify for this tournament.
This places Zimbabwe among the elite of world cricket, a sports which they are only second to South Africa on the continent.
The Chevrons are returning to the big stage after a six-year hiatus.
The 16-team tournament runs from October 16 to November 13.
But just being there should not be enough for Zimbabwe. The Chevrons should be at the World Cup to compete and not make the numbers.
It is sad that they have not made a mark in the tournament since its inception in 2007.
Zimbabwe have been part of every edition since the tournament started. So far seven editions have taken place in that last 15 years.
Unfortunately, the Chevrons were not part of the last edition held in the United Arab Emirates in 2021 after the team was thrown out of the qualifiers due to an ICC suspension.
But in the six editions that they have taken part, they have never made meaningful progress.
This year they will begin the tournament in the first round, just like they did in 2016.
The Chevrons at most have been a huge disappointment at the cricket World Cup tournaments.
Hopefully, with the form that they have been enjoying of late, they may be able to turn around the fortunes.
Zimbabwe Cricket made a crucial decision when they called former national team captain and coach Dave Houghton to come back from England and lead the team for this important mission.
Zimbabwe have shown positive signs of revival under Houghton after hosting and winning the qualification tournament in Bulawayo. They beat all the eight teams during the Qualifier.
This was a big improvement considering the Chevrons had sunk to their lowest ebb earlier this year to the extent of losing a T20 series to Associate nation Namibia, for the first time.
The team should ride on the newly-found form to hoist the nation’s flag high in Australia where they start in the first round.
Preparation is key for any team to succeed. Just because we have not had any complaints and grievances from ZC and the team itself, we trust everything is well with the Chevrons. What is left is for the team to deliver on the pitch.
Zimbabwe are in Group B along with the West Indies, Ireland and Scotland.
They are set to get their T20 World Cup campaign underway against Ireland on October 17.
They will take on the West Indies two days later and round off their first-round action against Scotland on October 21.
The top two teams from Group B will join the Super 12 stage, along with the top two teams from Group A which features Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands and Namibia.
The other teams that will make the line up in Australia include Afghanistan, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa and the host nation, who all begin at the Super 12 stage.
Hosts Australia will be defending the title they won at the previous edition in the UAE last year.
The whole nation will be rooting for the Chevrons as they go out in search for glory.
Online Reporter
dyton mupawaenda