Zimbabwe will pin their faith in the unpredictable nature of
one-day cricket in the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies.
"Anything can happen in one-day cricket, and when it does it's up
to your players to perform on the day," Zimbabwe coach Kevin Curran
told Reuters from Harare. "We've had the players to do so in the
past."
Although they are perennial underdogs and have won just eight of
their 42 World Cup games, Zimbabwe have a history of upsetting
fancied opponents.
Zimbabwe beat Australia by 13 runs in their first World Cup match
in Nottingham in 1983. But they had to wait nine years, in which
they lost 18 consecutive World Cup games, for their next win, which
came against England by nine runs in Albury, Australia.
Expected victories over Kenya followed in 1996 and 1999, but
Zimbabwe also surprised by beating India by three runs in Leicester
in 1999.
They followed that by beating South Africa by 48 runs in
Chelmsford, a result that was instrumental in South Africa's
elimination after they tied their semi-final with Australia.
An easy win over Namibia in Harare in 2003 was overshadowed by the
black armband protest mounted by Andy Flower and Henry Olonga to
"mourn the death of democracy in our beloved
Zimbabwe".
England then refused to play in Harare and Zimbabwe won by a
walkover before victory over the Netherlands in Bulawayo and a wash
out against Pakistan put them into the second round.
But the Zimbabweans buckled under the pressure generated by the
black armband protest, and they slipped to an embarrassing defeat
by Kenya in Bloemfontein.
In 2004, captain Heath Streak was sacked, prompting a walkout by 14
other players who objected to what they said were racially-biased
policies.
Their test status was suspended until the end of 2004 and on their
return they were beaten by Bangladesh. The Zimbabwe government took
control in January last year and withdrew their team from the test
arena although they continue to play one-day cricket.
At this year's World Cup, Zimbabwe will take on Ireland in Group D
before facing Pakistan and West Indies, with Curran hopeful his
team will prove competitive.
"We won't be taking Ireland lightly because they have guys who have
played at a decent standard of cricket, but I'd like to think we
could beat them on our day," Curran said.
"West Indies have great players like Brian Lara and Chris Gayle,
but they can't fire every time. And as we've seen in Pakistan's
series in South Africa (which South Africa won 3-1), they can be
very average.
"We know we have to win two games to have a realistic chance of
reaching the super eight round."
The disputes with administrators have drained talented and
experienced players away from Zimbabwe, and the result is that
batsman Stuart Matsikenyeri is the only member of their squad who
has featured in a World Cup.
Matsikenyeri played one match in the 2003 World Cup, against Sri
Lanka in East London, South Africa.
Curran tried to impart a positive spin to Zimbabwe's dearth of
experience.
"Sometimes you can use that to your advantage," he said. "West
Indies and Pakistan will be under pressure to play well against us,
while our guys can go out and play with a bit of flair and
hopefully produce the goods."
Squad: Prosper Utseya (capt), Gary Brent, Chamu Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Keith Dabengwa, Terry Duffin, Anthony Ireland, Friday Kasteni, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Christopher Mpofu, Tawanda Mupariwa, Edward Rainsford, Vusumuzi Sibanda, Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams
