Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema, Zimpapers Sports Hub
JUSTIN SAMMONS has probably slept better this week than at any other time since taking charge of the Chevrons just over a year ago.
When he was appointed, Zimbabwean cricket was at its lowest point. The nation had missed out on yet another World Cup, forced to watch Uganda rub shoulders with the world’s elite at the 2024 T20 World Cup co-hosted by the United States and West Indies. It was the third time in four World Cups, across both formats, that Zimbabwe had failed to qualify.
Sammons himself was met with scepticism. His resume leaned heavily on coaching roles within Cricket South Africa’s high-performance setup, stints with domestic sides, and a brief spell as batting consultant for the Proteas from 2021 to 2023. Few saw him as the man to pull the Chevrons from the brink.
But that was then.
Now, the Chevrons are headed to Sri Lanka and India for the 2026 T20 World Cup. After a demanding year packed with fixtures, Zimbabwe’s national side finally looks alive again.
Brian Bennett has been the breakout star, delivering quick starts in almost every format, with solid support from Ben Curran and Tadiwanashe Marumani. Veterans Brendan Taylor and Sean Williams still have fuel in the tank, while Ryan Burl’s consistency has been a steadying presence.
Youngsters Tashinga Musekiwa and Tinotenda Maposa have also begun to show their promise.
No wonder Sammons was all smiles after his team sealed World Cup qualification with a seven-wicket win over Namibia at Harare Sports Club, wrapping up the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier unbeaten. The victory gives Zimbabwe both momentum and confidence ahead of their home T20 series against Afghanistan later this month.
“100%, it’s really pleasing,” said Sammons after the final. “Obviously, the big one was the semi-final and there was a lot of pressure going into that match and the final itself. The way we handled that pressure was brilliant and very pleasing. It’s a good feeling.”
Pressure, and how to manage it, has long haunted the Chevrons. But in this tournament, they handled it all. They avenged their 2023 loss to Uganda in the opener and didn’t look back. Tanzania, Botswana, Kenya and finally Namibia all fell along the way.
Bennett was named both Player and Batter of the Tournament after three fifties and a century. Marumani’s unbeaten 74 from 61 balls in the final earned him the Player of the Match award, while captain Sikandar Raza received special recognition for reaching No. 1 in the ODI all-rounder rankings.
For Sammons, this success is the reward for months of hard work and a relentless competitive schedule that has built belief within the squad.
“Winning the tournament is massive because it instills self-belief in the boys,” he said. “We’ve been through tough times, played a lot of strong opposition, and we’re now playing really good cricket.
Getting over the line in the final is big for our confidence. The guys can see that what they’ve been doing behind the scenes is starting to pay off.
“The work we’re putting in is excellent, and the way we’re trying to play the game is right. They’re seeing the rewards. We just have to keep drilling those good habits from both a mindset and skills point of view.
“We’ve got Afghanistan coming up next, three T20s, which will be brilliant because they’re a quality side. They’ll really test us. Hopefully, we’ll get even more cricket before the World Cup, because the game time leading up to this qualifier paid off.”
Sammons believes his players now fully understand their individual and collective roles, and that the best is yet to come.
“Qualifying is absolutely massive,” he said. “It gives our guys a chance to perform on the world stage. A lot of them deserve it and will shine there. For the country, it’s huge, seeing Zimbabwe back at a World Cup means a lot. It also sets us up well for the 2027 home World Cup, even though it’s a different format.”
