Zimbabwe won acclaim after hosting last year’s men’s cricket World Cup Qualifier. (Photo by Alex … [+]
The febrile atmosphere was absolutely unforgettable for those fortunate to be in attendance.
Last year’s World Cup men’s qualifier in Zimbabwe felt much more like a gigantic party than a nerve-jangling cricket event with major stakes.
The smiles from giddy fans, many of whom were dancing wildly in the terraces, was a sight to behold. The surreal scenes were made more remarkable against the backdrop of the economic situation in Zimbabwe with inflation out of control and people doing it tough.
Crowds were incredible at the men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier (Photo by Alex Davidson-ICC/ICC via … [+]
While soccer remains the favored sport in the landlocked southern African country, cricket’s popularity has spread beyond its white, middle-upper class roots.
There is momentum for the bat and ball sport after decades of turmoil. Since becoming a Full Member in 1992, Zimbabwe has had modest success on-field and endured turbulence off it. Political meddling started eroding the national men’s team in the early 2000s leading to the infamous player revolt in 2004.
Zimbabwe’s International Cricket Council membership was suspended in 2019 and their funding frozen from the sport’s governing body. It appeared Zimbabwean cricket was in ruins, but the situation has improved and somewhat stabilized.
They’ve shown glimpses of promise on-field having performed well at the men’s T20 World Cup in 2022, most notably when they stunned Pakistan by one run in Perth.
Zimbabwe, perhaps surprisingly given its tumult and status as a small cricket nation, has emerged as a destination for major events. Last year’s World Cup qualifier was the fourth tournament the country hosted in five years.
Zimbabwe is slated to host the under 19 World Cup in 2026 and the following year will co-host the World Cup along with South Africa and Namibia.
Widely known for its breath-taking waterfalls and safaris, Zimbabwe offers an exotic attraction in world cricket, something different than financial powerhouses of Australia, England and India who usually rotate major events on a loop.
“We have proven in recent years that we can host big events well and the passion of the fans has also shown that there is such an appetite for cricket here,” Zimbabwe Cricket chair Tavengwa Mukuhlani told me.
With continual political turmoil in Bangladesh, after prime minister Sheikh Hasina was overthrown after 15 years of ruling with an iron fist, the women’s T20 World Cup later in the year was forced to relocate.
As always given its stature and wealth, India was the fallback option but did not want World Cups in successive years having hosted the men’s edition less than 12 months ago.
South Africa also declined, it is learnt, leaving Zimbabwe as a viable option given its favorable weather for much of the year. But it lost out to the UAE, so often the de facto given its convenient location close to South Asia. The ICC headquarters is also in Dubai.
But cricket in the Emirates has often been criticised for its sterile surroundings under the baking sun, with terraces usually sparse apart from when migrant South Asians have time off work.
Cricket in the UAE has often been in near empty grounds (Photo by RYAN LIM/AFP via Getty Images)
“We would have loved to host the women’s World Cup, but we were not disappointed with the decision,” Mukuhlani said. “Zimbabwe has become an appealing option to host major cricket events and we want this to be a legacy for the sport here to make it even more popular.”
Zimbabwe has had limited success in women’s cricket, but will be part of an expanded 11-team ODI Women’s Championship. Zimbabwe had been the only Full Member not part of the tournament other than Afghanistan, whose women’s team has disintegrated due to Taliban rule.
“It is something (Zimbabwe’s inclusion) we have been pushing for some time and part of our efforts in building up women’s cricket,” Mukuhlani said.
With Zimbabwe eying hosting a women’s World Cup outright in the future, their merry supporters will undoubtedly have more opportunities to let their hair down in the stands.
