We need more talent than passion in Zim cricket

ZIMBABWE CRICKET is not short of fanatical disciples who add both colour and verve to the sport.

The Zimbabwe Cricket Supporters Association — initially a rag-tag grouping that notoriously patronised the Castle Corner, but eventually morphed into a vibrant cheerleading ensemble — is now well known at home and abroad.

Its guttural chants, often laced with comic lyrics or renditions of folk songs, are all too familiar when our national cricket sides, especially the Chevrons, play at home.

Their peculiar costumes, which typically change with every match, ably add flair to their performances. But unfortunately, of late, all that passion has not been matched by performances and results.

From the great performances of yore, we now find ourselves in the doldrums.

Sadly, Zimbabwe cricket keeps reaching new lows at every turn.

There was a time when we thought that a series of innings defeats and voluntarily withdrawing from Test cricket was as low as we could get.

Then came the 2019 suspension by the International Cricket Council (ICC), which scribes described as the darkest hour of the sport in the country.

We were, however, to sink even lower as the late Heath Streak and former skipper Brendan Taylor were implicated in match-fixing scandals.

That surely should have been the low point. But, no, the tragedy continued.

Zimbabwe failed to qualify for the 2024 T20 World Cup at the African regional qualifying event last year, ceding their seats to Uganda and Namibia.

Most recently, the Chevrons plumbed new depths when they had to go through an ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub-Regional Africa Qualifier tournament, where they were pitted against the likes of Mozambique, Seychelles, Gambia, Rwanda and Kenya.

Bra Shakes did not even know nations like Mozambique, Seychelles and Gambia played cricket, let alone could muster a national team.

While others went to town over the dominating and historic performances by the Chevrons over nations like Mozambique and Gambia, the truth of the matter is that none of these nations should be spoken in the same breath as Zimbabwe when it comes to cricket.

Maybe in basketball and football, but certainly not cricket.

It gets worse if we take into account the growing problem of drug and substance abuse that seems to have taken hold of the sport.

So, it begs the question: Is there a way back for Zimbabwe cricket?

The next couple of years will and should provide crucial chapters in the redemption story of local cricket.

Zimbabwe will embark on a historic tour of England in May next year, after which there is the important assignment of qualifying for the 2026 T20 World Cup that will be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka.

There are also the two World Cups at Under-19 and senior levels that Zimbabwe will co-host alongside Namibia and South Africa.

This obviously provides a huge platform at which Zimbabwe can prove its mettle.

However, it is not enough to travel, qualify or co-host, Zimbabwe have to make a statement in each and every one of these events.

The only way to do this is for Zimbabwe Cricket to put their house in order, assemble their best team possible and go out there and give them hell. We have the talent if we care enough to look for it and our past successes demonstrate what we are capable of.

It is high time our performances match our passion.

Until next time.

Peace!

Yours Sincerely,

Bra Shakes.