Chronicle Editor
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
GIVEMORE Makoni has been confirmed by the Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) board of directors as the organisation’s substantive managing director.
Makoni’s appointment was unanimously endorsed by the Board during its virtual meeting held on Thursday. Before he was confirmed as substantive ZC MD, Makoni, who turns 46 this December, has been serving in acting capacity since 1 September 2018.
He assumed the reins at a time the future of cricket in Zimbabwe looked bleak, with ZC rocked by legacy debts and battling for existence.
Over the past two years, Makoni has however positively spearheaded a restructuring exercise designed to address ZC’s perennial viability challenges and to forge a sustainable financial and cricket future.
“He was at the forefront of implementing an intricate debt resolution plan which ultimately saw ZC paying off debts amounting to US$27 million that had been choking the organisation. Under his watch, ZC has been vigorously reviving its cricket structures, with the launch of an elite national club competition, the National Premier League, as well as two women’s inter-provincial tournaments, the Fifty50 Challenge and the Women’s T20 Cup, being among the highlights,’’ said ZC.
Makoni, a holder of a Bachelor of Science Honours in Sport Science and Management degree qualification, has been involved in cricket for over three decades. He first rose to national prominence when he in 1990 co-founded Takashinga Cricket Club, Zimbabwe’s first black cricket club that has produced dozens of international players.
After playing club cricket in Zimbabwe and England, he left his job with a local bank to join the then Mashonaland Cricket Association as its general manager.
His administration experience also includes stints as chief executive officer at Southern Rocks and Mountaineers franchises before he was elevated to the ZC executive as the director for development and club cricket and later head of cricket affairs.
Over the years, he has also served as the Zimbabwe national team manager and convener of selectors. @Mdawini_29
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