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Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE will be banking on their perfect record in the International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup Qualifier when the 10-team tournament gets underway on home soil.
The southern African nation is the most successful team in the history of the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier which used to be known as the ICC Trophy until 2005.
Zimbabwe won the competition three times in 1982, 1986 and 1990. They have not competed in the event since 1990 as they earned direct qualification for all World Cups from 1996 onwards after attaining ICC Full Membership in 1992.
According to statistics provided by the ICC, Zimbabwe have never lost a match in the tournament. They have a 95,8 percent success rate (23 wins out of 24 matches with one no-result).
Heath Streak and his lads will be determined to keep this record intact when they host the tournament from 4-25 March.
The fact that they will be the most experienced side with over 900 total ODI caps, they will fancy their chances when they launch their campaign against Nepal at Queens Sports Club today.
Zimbabwe will be looking to their passionate home support to help them secure one of the two ICC Cricket World Cup qualification spots.
The Chevrons, along with Afghanistan, Ireland and West Indies, have got a second chance to qualify for the ICC’s pinnacle 50-over tournament after they finished in the bottom four of the MRF Tyres ICC ODI Rankings at the 30 September 2017 cut-off date. Zimbabwe last year welcomed back Brendan Taylor who had retired from international competition in 2015 spending three years in England at Nottinghamshire.
The right-handed batsman made a return together with pace bowler Kyle Jarvis. Skipper Graeme Cremer, veteran Hamilton Masakadza, Sikandar Raza, Taylor, Jarvis, Craig Ervine are the players expected to play a huge role in Zimbabwe’s quest to make it to next year’s tournament in England.
Explosive left handed batsman Cephas Zhuwao will certainly be under pressure to deliver after his late inclusion into the team together with Sean Williams who was drafted into the squad despite recovering from a broken finger injury.
Zimbabwe prepared for the World Cup Qualifier with a series against Afghanistan on neutral territory in Sharjah, United Arab Emirates which the Afghans won 4-1.
The Chevrons had their warm up match against Ireland abandoned without a ball being bowled due to a waterlogged Queens Sports Club outfield.
Their only fine tuning opportunity came against Papua New Guinea, a match Zimbabwe won by five wickets at Bulawayo Athletic Club.
After Nepal, Zimbabwe play their biggest group fixture when they go up against Afghanistan at Queens Sports Club on Tuesday.
Hong Kong are the next opponents for the Chevrons, again at Queens on Saturday before they round off their group matches with a clash against Scotland at BAC on 12 March.
ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier fixtures
Sunday, 4 March – Papua New Guinea v United Arab Emirates ( Harare Sports Club), Ireland v Netherlands (Old Hararians) Zimbabwe v Nepal (Queens Sports Club), Afghanistan v Scotland (Bulawayo Athletic Club)
Tuesday, 6 March – PNG v Ireland, (HSC) West Indies v UAE (OH) Zimbabwe v Afghanistan, (QSC) Scotland v Hong Kong (BAC)
Thursday, 8 March – Netherlands v UAE (HSC) West Indies v PNG (OH) Scotland v Nepal (QSC), Afghanistan v Hong Kong (BAC)
Saturday, 10 March – West Indies v Ireland ( HSC) , PNG v Netherlands ( OH), Zimbabwe v Hong Kong, (QSC), Afghanistan v Nepal (BAC)
Monday, 12 March – West Indies v Netherlands (HSC), Ireland v UAE, OH, Hong Kong v Nepal ( QSC), Zimbabwe v Scotland (BAC)
Super Sixes Thursday, 15 March – A1 v B1 (HSC) A3 v B3 (QSC) A5 v B4 (play-off), (OH) A4 v B5 (play-off), (Kwekwe Sports Club)
Friday, 16 March – A2 v B2 (HSC)
Saturday 17 March – 9th/10th position play-off (OH), 7th/8th position play-off (Kwekwe Sports Club)
Sunday, 18 March – A2 v B3 (HSC)
Monday, 19 March – A1 v B2 (HSC)
Tuesday, 20 March – A3 v B1 (HSC)
Thursday, 22 March – A1 v B3 (HSC) A3 v B2 (OH)
Friday 23 March – A2 v B1 (HSC)
Sunday, 25 March – FINAL (HSC)
Bongani Ndlovu