Mukuhlani hails ‘very special’ year as ZC holds AGM

Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE Cricket (ZC) held its annual general meeting (AGM) in Harare on Friday, which was convened physically for the first time in two years following the easing of COVID-19 pandemic restrictions.

During the gathering, the delegates adopted ZC’s audited financial statements for the year ending 31 December 2021.

The organisation once again received a clean audit opinion for the period under review following an independent audit carried out by PriceWaterhouseCoopers.

Reflecting on what he described as a difficult yet “very special” season, ZC Chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani hailed stakeholders across the game for uniting and working hard to protect and uplift the sport under challenging circumstances.

“This was a very special season. From our women’s team playing their maiden ODI series to hosting two global events which were officially opened by His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa to qualifying for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022, I could not have been prouder of our achievements this year,” he said in his report.

“The pandemic brought its own challenges, it brought a new norm, playing in a bio-bubble, having to put up a bio-bubble for our domestic and international cricket. It brought new challenges and of course a strain on our budget,” he added.

“But overall, I would say a very successful year. We have been able to play our domestic cricket during COVID-19, we played international cricket during COVID-19.

“So yes, overall, it’s been a very successful year although we have had our difficult moments in terms of results coming through from the senior men’s team.

“But I would say generally the outlook for the organisation is very good, very positive.

“We are in a very good position financially and we have completed our processes with the ICC in so far as governance issues are concerned.”

Looking ahead, Mukuhlani said with ZC now in good financial health, it was imperative for the organisation to channel more resources to grassroots cricket especially through the National Premier League (NPL).

“We have seen positive results at national team level and we think for us to get a good pipeline that is sustainable we must have a very good club competition and by putting in place that club competition we will be able to pull the development structures in the provinces along with us,” he said.

“So, management is working on a package to try and invest more in our NPL so that clubs can have decent coaching staff, maintain their facilities and look after their players.

“And that also includes ladies’ cricket. We want ladies club cricket, a T10 league for ladies and every club to have age-group and women’s sides.”

Delegates representing all the 10 provinces affiliated to ZC attended the AGM.

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