Zimbabwe Cricket flops of 2023

THE year 2023 was a roller-coaster ride for Zimbabwe Cricket and everyone involved with the game. It was mostly downhill, with only a few series wins to show for it. It was a dismal year — perhaps the worst ever for the sport in the country. The Chevrons achieved nothing in the year as they failed to qualify for the 2023 Men’s Cricket World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup.

As we wrap up the year, we want to take a look at some of the worst players to have worn the national colours for the Chevrons this year. We have no reason to look at the best because there is nothing to celebrate.

Tafadzwa Tsiga

The 29-year-old wicketkeeper/batter made his senior national team debut in February when the Chevrons hosted the West Indies for two Tests at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. Coming in as a replacement for Regis Chakabva, Tsiga failed to prove his worth in the team ahead of other aspiring candidates. He only played the two Tests and in four innings, scored only 28 runs at an average of 9,33. In the first match, he had scores of 0 and 24 not out and in the second match he had identical scores of two in both innings. He was a liability behind the stumps and a disappointment with the bat.

Wellington Masakadza

Despite featuring in most of Zimbabwe’s matches this year, it was not a good outing for the 30-year-old spinner. In 21 innings this year, across all formats, Masakadza only picked up 16 wickets. In ODIS, he finished with six wickets from 11 innings (66 overs) at an average of 51,2. In seven T20I innings, Masakadza averaged 31,6 and picked five wickets. In the longest version, Test cricket, he had an average of 42,8 in three innings and managed to pick up five wickets. Coming into the team as the specialist spinner, Masakadza did not deliver up to expectations. He was ineffective and expensive and often bowled loose deliveries that were punished by the batsmen.

Nick Welch

There was a lot of expectation from the explosive 25-year-old top order batter who returned to Zimbabwe this year and made his senior national team debut in October during the Chevrons’ embarrassing series defeat at the hands of Namibia. Welch only played seven T20I matches for Zimbabwe and scored 97 runs at an average of 13,85. He has a high score of 25 runs and has struggled to live up to his billing and hype. He was inconsistent and reckless and often threw away his wicket with poor shot selection.
Tadiwanashe Marumani

A lot was also expected from the 22-year-old Marumani, who in the domestic set-up had become a nightmare for bowlers. Domestically, he was scoring runs for fun but at international level, there was nothing to write home about from the youngster. In 2023, he only managed to play 12 times in ODIs and T20Is and only amassed 152 runs. He ended the year with two ODI innings and 18 runs at an average of 18. In the other match he played, he fell for a duck while in the other, he scored 18 runs. In T20Is, he played 10 matches, scored 134 runs at an average of 13,4 with a one-half century (high score 50 runs). He was a shadow of his domestic self and failed to cope with the pressure and quality of international cricket.

Chamu Chibhabha

The former Chevrons skipper returned to the fold this year but failed to justify his selection to the team. It wasn’t a rosy return for the 37-year-old batter who played two Tests and as many ODIs in 2023. In those two Tests (four innings) he only managed to score 51 runs at an average of 12, 8 with a high score of 31 runs while in ODIs, he scored 56 runs (two innings) with an average of 28 and a high score of 40. He was a burden at the top of the order and often got out cheaply or slowly, putting pressure on the middle order.

Tendai Chatara

A proven match winner with a lot of experience but 2023 is a year to forget for the fast bowler. He was instrumental when Zimbabwe beat West Indies in Harare during the World Cup Qualifiers but went on to leak runs in other matches including the embarrassing defeat at the hands of Uganda where he bowled the penultimate over and conceded 20 runs while defending 30. In eight ODIs, he picked up 13 wickets at an average of 32,2 (conceded 418 runs in 59,4 overs) while in as many T20s, Chatara took 10 wickets at an average of 18,4 (conceding 184 runs in 26,4 overs). He was erratic and wayward and often bowled no-balls and wides that cost his team dearly.

Faraz Akram

The 30-year-old medium bowler, who is supposed to be an all-rounder, did not make any difference to the team where he only played two matches. He played two T20Is for the Chevrons and with ball in hand, had no wickets while with the bat; he has 13 runs in two innings with a high score of 10 runs only. He is one of the other players who failed to perform when needed for national duty.

Wessly Madhevere

Hyped as the next big thing, it was yet another dismal year for the 23-year-old all-rounder who featured in most of the Chevrons’ matches this year. In total, he has 22 innings under his name in both ODIs and T20Is in 2023 and 10 of those in the 50-over game while 12 came in the shortest version. In one day cricket, the youngster managed to score 220 runs at an average of 22 with a high score of 50 while in his 12 T20Is, he only managed to accumulate 117 runs at an average of 13 and a high score of 25 runs. He also managed to pick up seven wickets, four in ODIs and three in T20Is. With his poor form, it was a stormy year for Madhevere who went on to receive a suspension from all forms of cricket from ZC after failing a doping test alongside Brandon Mavuta.
Blessing Muzarabani
It wasn’t a good year for the tall fast bowler who was expected to tear apart batters with his pace. He didn’t play much due to an injury but in the few matches he played, he was not as effective as many expected. He has 20 innings under his name, 11 in ODIs and nine in T20Is. In his 11 ODI innings, he picked as many wickets at a huge average of 40,5 with best match figures of 3/57. In T20Is, the 27-year-old only managed to pick up seven wickets at an average of 22, 6 and best match figures of 2/24.

Tanaka Chivanga

With good pace, the 30-year-old has not had an impact on his international career. Despite having a good pace, he seems to have been lacking the skill to execute and reach his potential. He was ineffective and only played two formats (one Test appearance and two ODIs). In Tests, he had no wicket in the 14 overs that he bowled while in ODIs, he only picked up one scalp, finishing with a huge average of 98.
@brandon_malvin