Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema-Zimpapers Sports Hub
OVER the last decade or so, Zimbabwe’s cricket has its fair share of dark moments.
The forgettable moments are largely due to the Chevrons’ penchant for being inconsistent with the recent innings and the 359-run defeat to New Zealand in exposing some of Zimbabwe’s weaknesses in the Test arena.
The humiliating Test loss saw the Black Caps register the third-biggest win for any team in Test cricket and the biggest for New Zealand.
Zimbabwe’s aggregate 242 runs in Bulawayo was also their fifth-lowest in a Test match where they have been bowled out twice.
It is also their second-lowest at home, behind the 158 runs they made against New Zealand in Harare in 2005.
Today the Chevrons get an opportunity to atone for the disappointment they brought to the nation in the Test arena and their five-wicket loss to Uganda at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Region Qualifier in Windhoek, Namibia, in 2023. That defeat ended Zimbabwe’s hopes for the 2024 T20 World Cup co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States.
Uganda and Namibia finished that tournament as the top two sides, booking their tickets to the global T20 show-case.
Nearly two years later, the two sides meet again. Eight teams are expected to tussle it out over the next eight days for a berth at next year’s T20 World Cup.
Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Malawi, Botswana and Tanzania are the other teams in running for honours.
South Africa have already qualified as one of the top-eight teams from the previous edition.
Zimbabwe and Uganda will battle at Harare Sports Club this afternoon, seeking one of the two slots available for the tournament to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka next year.
Despite the hosts being favourites, skipper Sikandar Raza has refused to dwell on the past.
“Yeah, it weighed quite heavily on us,” said Raza, referring to their failure last time out.
“However, you can stay in the past, and if you choose to stay in the past, you end up living in the past. “We have moved on as a country and we have moved on as a cricketing nation,” he said.
Certainly, Zimbabwe find themselves in better standing than they did in Namibia.
The Chevrons have played more games, across all formats, and have been aided by the return of some of their most experienced players — Sean Williams and Brendan Taylor.
It could have been three with former skipper Graeme Cremer also coming out of retirement and availing himself.
However, he just missed out on selection.
In Tadiwanashe Marumani and Brian Bennett, the Chevrons seem to have found their fix for an opening batting partnership problem that has haunted Zimbabwe for some decades now. Marumani seems to have played his best cricket against associate nations as five of his six half-centuries have come against the minnows.
In only six matches batting at the number one position, Bennett already has 321 runs with a highest score of 139 and two half centuries.
Williams and Taylor bring a lot of experience and a steady hand for the largely young Chevrons side. Raza is also happy with how they have prepared. “In the last 12 to 16 months, we have had a lot of preparation and a lot of great cricket games.
“And Zimbabwe have played a lot of good cricket with some good results produced.
“We have had a lot of great consistent performances against the majority of those teams in white-ball cricket that we have played.
“So, comparing it (this match) to the last time, I think we are a lot more prepared.
“The boys are a lot more experienced.
“We have kept pretty much the same squad as the last time as well, minus a few changes, and that has allowed us to gain a lot more experience and understanding of the game and how to build an inning or build an over,” he said.
For Uganda, that win over Zimbabwe and their subsequent World Cup debut is not something that their skipper Riazat Shah would want to easily forget.
Shah has read the tweets, seen all the memes and has been steadily keeping an eye on the Zimbabwe Chevrons.
“We are well aware that Zimbabwe are eyeing us,” said Shah.
“Not only the Zimbabwe cricket team but the whole of Zimbabwe is eyeing us. We have seen a couple of tweets on social media that they have been waiting for us but that is what we wanted.
“This is what we want to do, play against big teams eyeing us and those motivated to play against us.
“This is how we grow and get better.
“Tomorrow (today), we will go out there and do our best to get the rest,” he said.
Just like the Chevrons, Uganda’s team has undergone major changes since the two sides’ last meeting. Shah was, however, brimming with confidence yesterday.
“It was amazing.
“That (World Cup debut) had been our goal for the last 5 years or prior as we wanted to qualify for the T20 World Cup.
“When we heard that there are 20 teams in the T20 World Cup, we knew that we have a chance to qualify. “Losing our first game against Namibia at the last tournament set us back but we bounced back with that win against Zimbabwe.
“Beating Zimbabwe gave us a lot of confidence and a spotlight all over the world.
“However, that was only magnified by playing in the World Cup.
