Chevrons fans to wear orange against Pakistan

Zimpapers Sports Hub

THE past year has seen Zimbabwe cricket fans go to stadiums clad in various regalia, all meant to send a message.

Previously, calls have been made to have fans don red overalls, school uniforms and/or white garments, depending on the opponent of the day.

Today, the Chevrons are set to face Pakistan in the first game of the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series at Queens Sports Club.

A plea has been made to all the cricket faithful in Bulawayo to head to the city’s home of cricket wearing orange.

Orange is not just any other colour!

It is a colour of hope, perseverance, happiness and joy.

Orange is the national brand colour of KidzCan Zimbabwe, an organisation that is involved in philanthropic work for childhood cancer in Zimbabwe.

Its vision is to help increase the childhood cancer survival rate in Zimbabwe by the year 2030.

In trying to raise awareness on childhood cancer, the organisation needs support and Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has taken a stance, that of extending a helping hand, as all proceeds from today’s game against Pakistan will be donated to KidzCan Zimbabwe in support of the war on childhood cancer.

In an interview with Zimpapers Sports Hub, KidzCan Zimbabwe executive director Daniel Mckenzie said they are grateful to ZC for supporting the organisation.

Mckenzie called on the Bulawayo community to support this worthy cause.

“On behalf of KidzCan Zimbabwe and all the children whom we support, we are very honoured and humbled by this kind gesture that Zimbabwe Cricket has taken to officially adopt KidzCan as its charity of choice.

“This means a lot, not only in financial support that they can give, but to think about the fact that we have our national players, who are our ambassadors, raise awareness and talk about childhood cancer. It raises that awareness.

“The challenges that we face in our communities is having people and parents and families not knowing that children do get cancer.

The fact that Zimbabwe Cricket is out there raising the flag of childhood cancer, hopefully people can start talking about childhood cancer and preventing it early because early detection is the best prevention.

“If detected early, no child should die of cancer; children can be treated if they are presented . . . early,” said Mckenzie.

“So, we are very grateful for this One-Day International donation to KidzCan and childhood cancer in Zimbabwe.

“We are hoping that this is a lasting relationship and through the support of our communities, they can come through and make a difference to make sure that we increase the survival rate of childhood cancer in Zimbabwe so that Zimbabwe can also reach WHO’s global initiative of 60 percent survival rate.

“If we all come together dressed in orange, we can all play our part to help make a difference, to help increase the survival rate of childhood cancer.”

The partnership with Zimbabwe Cricket is also about raising awareness on childhood cancer, and the KidzCan logo now appears on the ZC national jersey.

Today’s game will be a tall order for the Zimbabwean side, who last beat Pakistan in a ODI match in Harare in 2015.

This will be the first ODI series between the two nations in four years, having last faced in Rawalpindi in 2020.

Pakistan last played 50-over cricket in Zimbabwe in 2018 at the Queens Sports Club, where they registered a 5-0 whitewash.

This will also be the first international game at the Queens Sports Club since the 2023 World Cup Qualifiers in July last year.

The other two matches will be played on Tuesday and Thursday, followed by the T20Is, scheduled for December 1, 3 and 5.

Today’s highly anticipated encounter is scheduled to start at 9.30am, with gate charges pegged at US$3 for the rest of the ground and US$10 for the grandstand.