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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE all-rounder Sikandar Raza yesterday apologised to the nation after the Chevrons missed an opportunity to qualify for the ICC World up with a disappointing defeat to Scotland on Tuesday.
The home team just needed a win to seal their berth at the tournament to be held in India this October-November but they wilted under the pace attack of the Scots, in chase of a modest total of 235 runs.
“Devastated, hurt, broken, shattered, in pain and there are so many words that describe what we Chevrons are feeling right now,” posted Raza on his Social media platforms.
“We are sorry that we couldn’t get the job done and made the dream a reality and I think it’s only natural to feel all those emotions.
“But I am incredibly proud of this team and how far we have come in a year. I am so proud of how we wore our hearts on our sleeves.
“I am incredibly proud of our fans for making us believe and giving us so much love and respect. I am so proud of how far we have come as an organisation.”
Zimbabwe had started the campaign on a promising note, winning all four games in Group A. They also claimed the big scalp of the West Indies, who had been disappointing during the Qualifier.
Raza was one of the top performers for Zimbabwe along with Sean Williams, Craig Ervine, Ryan Burl and Richard Ngarava. He set a new record for the fastest century for Zimbabwe with a quick-fire 102 off 54 balls against Netherlands.
Williams also scored three tons for Zimbabwe and is the leading run scorer with 600 under the belt. Zimbabwe won a lot of admirers with their performances and it was difficult to accept they could not progress, with the slightest of margins.
They ended on six points together with Scotland and the eventual tournament finalists Netherlands. The Dutch pipped the Scots with a better run rate of 0.160. Scotland’s net run rate stood at 0.102 while Zimbabwe’s was 0.099 at the end of the Super Six games yesterday.
“It’s heartbreaking . . . I think everybody is going to deal with this differently but we have got some cricket coming up which will see how guys are supposed to strike their minds from today,” said Zimbabwe captain, Ervine.
“Nonetheless, I am really proud of the way the guys played their cricket over this tournament. Before the tournament started, had we opted to try and beat Scotland in the last game to qualify, I think a lot of people would have taken it because it means we have played really good cricket leading up to this.
“It can be a lonely space to be in when you isolate yourself especially with games like this. So I think we will obviously try to lift each other up and keep moving forward. “We have been getting the results that obviously draw the people in. We just have to try and keep those results coming. We have got a lot of cricket towards the end of the year and then the Zim Afro T10 which is coming up. There is still a lot of cricket coming up and we need to keep those crowds coming to support us,” said Ervine.
Online Reporter