Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE next 48 hours will decide whether Zimbabwe’s Under 19s stay alive at the ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup or start packing for the lower bracket.
And, it won’t just be about what happens when they face Pakistan tomorrow, because the hosts are also tied to what unfolds today when England play Scotland at Takashinga Sports Club.
Zimbabwe’s Group C maths is tight and uncomfortable.
England are already sitting pretty with four points from two games and, barring something wild, they’re through.
Pakistan moved into second place on two points after beating Scotland on Monday, leaving Scotland in the last qualifying spot with Zimbabwe rooted at the bottom, separated only by net run rate. That’s why today’s England vs Scotland clash matters. A Scotland upset would open the door for everyone. A heavy Scotland defeat could drag net run rate into the mud and pull Zimbabwe into the mess, even before they pick up a bat tomorrow.
And then there’s the rain, the unwanted extra player that has been hanging over this tournament from the start. With clouds threatening again, the margin for error is shrinking, and every over, every boundary, every late collapse could carry a price.
Zimbabwe and Pakistan meet tomorrow with both teams likely to walk onto the field already knowing what result they need, and what kind of win might be required.
But assistant coach Norbert Manyande insists the hosts are not ready to live on calculators yet, even if he admits the time is coming fast.
“It hasn’t come to that just yet,” said Manyande.
“With the rain in play, it’s definitely going to come to that at some point. Every team has to be careful with net run rates because rain is a constant threat and it may disrupt matches.”
He said the camp has spoken about the weather factor and the way it can twist group standings without warning.
“Some, if not most, of the games are going to be affected by rain and you have to plan for such scenarios. We have discussed these things as a team, and we will plan accordingly when the time comes,” he said.
Zimbabwe finally got a full match in over the weekend, but it ended in a bruising eight wicket loss to England, the table toppers who have looked the most polished side in the group.
The hosts had moments with the bat, but their bowlers struggled to control line and length, and England made the chase look routine.
Mathew Masinge