History awaits in Zim Afro T10 league

OVER the past few weeks, Harare Sports Club has witnessed a few historic moments during the 2023 Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifiers and tomorrow, another page that will forever be remembered in Zimbabwean cricket history will be opened.

The inaugural Zim Cyber City Zim Afro T10 League roars into life at the country’s ceremonial home of cricket, Harare Sports Club in a historic feat.

This will be the first international franchise league in the country.

The league will run from tomorrow until July 29.

The league is a partnership between Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) and T Ten Global Sports.

A total of five privately owned franchise teams will battle it out for the top honours of cricket’s most exhilarating format, the T10. This will also be the first ever T10 league to be hosted by a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) with Sri Lanka set to follow suit at the end of the year.

In another first, flood lights have been installed at Harare Sports Club and it will be the first time that a cricket match is played under lights in the country. The league promises to keep the cricket craze alive among the sport’s enthusiasts in the country.

Apart from the history that comes with hosting such a league, it will also play a huge part in the growth and development of the game in Zimbabwe. The exposure to world class stars will do local cricketers good.

Last week, there were trials which were held at Takashinga Cricket Club to select five lucky youngsters who will get the chance to be drafted into either one of the five teams and the talent on display throughout the four days that the tournament was played impressed the T Ten Global Sports founding chairman Nawab Shaji Ul Mulk.

“I am so thrilled, believe me. I saw them playing and it’s something I have been wanting to do for a long time now, and to have the kind of turnout and I can see the passion in the youngsters. For us, it’s all about creating a system where the youth of the country get benefited, and we turn the talent to international cricketers so I am very pleased with the way Zimbabwe Cricket has handled the whole thing, the Qalandars team (trials organisers), they have really done a good job,” said UI Mulk.

The five teams that will compete in the league are Bulawayo Braves, Harare Hurricanes, Durban Qalandars, Joburg Buffaloes, and the Cape Town Samp Army. Apart from local stars such as Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams, Chris Mpofu, Craig Ervine, Blessing Muzarabani, Ryan Burl, Hamilton Masakadza and Brandon Mavuta among others, the league will also have international stars.

Some of the international players that will take part in the league are England’s World Cup winning captain, Eoin Morgan, ‘The Professor’ Mohamed Hafeez, Maheesh Theekshana, ‘The President’ Mohamed Nabi, Taskin Ahmed, Junior Dala, Odean Smith, Yusuf Pathan, Sheldon Cottrell, Asif Ali, Mohammed Amir, and Tim Siefert among others.

Harare Hurricanes and the Bulawayo Braves face off in the first game at 7pm, soon after the opening ceremony and from there the league will pick up pace with nine games scheduled over the next three days. The match days with three games will see the first contest begin at 3pm, followed by matches at 5pm and the last game starting at 7pm.

Cricket fans outside the capital who are worried about missing the fast-paced action will be covered as Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN) will broadcast the games live. This means cricket enthusiasts across the nation can enjoy the exhilarating 10-over action from the comfort of their homes.

The Zim Afro T10 League promises to be a thrilling extravaganza, injecting a wave of excitement into Zimbabwe cricket. With a strong line-up of teams and a perfect blend of local and international talent, cricket fans can look forward to 10 days of unforgettable cricketing moments. So, mark your calendars, Zimbabwe cricket fans and get ready to witness history in the making. — @brandon_malvin