The Zimbabwe national cricket team has stirred emotions after they stuttered to an 82 run defeat at the hands of Afghanistan to lose the T20 Series 2-0.
This has incensed the cricket family after the Chevrons had earlier lost the five ODI Series 3-2 sending them crashing to 12th and last on the International Cricket Council’s ODI World Rankings.
Cricket analyst Shingirirai Miti said this was the biggest humiliation Zimbabwe has suffered in international cricket and suggested that Zimbabwe Cricket disband the whole team. “The team should be disbanded. We have lost to Afghanistan, the worst defeat in history,” said Miti.
Miti was supported by cricket follower Tonderai Muchafara who is also of the opinion that the current team has outlived its usefulness and also suggested that coach Dave Whatmore and his whole team should be relieved of their duties.
“We need a completely new team. Whatmore and his team must go now not tommorrow,” said Muchafara.
However, the chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket Tawengwa Mukuhlani says the solution does not lie with disbanding the whole team.
He says they have adopted a strategy that would see them lure some of Zimbabwe’s players based in foreign lands to add to the team that is already there.
“We need a strategy in place where we follow our players. Solomon Mire is in Australia and there are many others. All those who are making progress, they should come and play for Zimbabwe,” said Mukuhlani.
The defeat by Afghanistan has seen Zimbabwe slump to 12th and last on the ODI rankings putting the Chevrons in danger of missing out of the 2019 World Cup following a change in the format of qualification.
The Chevrons who had the luxury of automatic qualification as a Test playing nation, will now have to fight to earn their place at the World Cup gathering.
According to the international cricket controlling body, starting from the 2019 World Cup finals, only hosts England, and the seven top paced teams on the ICC ODI rankings, by September, this year, will have direct entry into the World Cup.
As things stand right now, Zimbabwe are way off the automatic World Cup qualifying place as they are in 12th place and their automatic
World Cup dream is slipping away by each game they play.
Another cricket lover Lawrence Mushambadope says as things stand right now, Zimbabweans should forget about the World Cup. “Forget about the World Cup. Zimbabwe are not good enough to go there,” said Mushambadope.
The Chevrons are now heading to Bangladesh for four T20 matches beginning Friday. Vusi Sibanda and Brian Vitori who missed out of the Afghanistan Series have been recalled for the Bangladesh tour.
