Since time immemorial, the national cricket team has played second fiddle to their more successful neighbours, South Africa.
Blessed with a wider pool of players to draw from, better funding, facilities and resources, the South Africans have naturally been the more successful.
In fact, records show that Zimbabwe has only managed two wins in one-day internationals (ODIs) dating back to the 1999 World Cup. The other victory came in South Africa a year later.
Zimbabwe were, however, yet to beat South Africa in the shorter version of the game since it was introduced in 2003. Given such a scenario, there is every reason to celebrate after a young and spirited Zimbabwe team upstaged the South Africans, not once but twice, on their way to lifting the Pran RFL Triangular series title.
The satisfaction is not only in the results, but also in the manner in which the victories were achieved taking into consideration that the team had not played much competitive cricket since February.
In spite of fielding a weakened side for this tournament, the South Africans were surely considered to be a force to reckon with, especially with star players such as Hashim Amla, Francois du Plessis, Richard Levi, Lonwabo Tsotsobe and Albie Morkel in the side.
One expected them to have an easy victory over Zimbabwe, but that was not to be and in the end Zimbabwe proved the better side for a major part of the tournament. It was a refreshing sight watching the teams experienced players such as Hamilton Masakadza, Brendan Taylor and Christopher Mpofu stepping up their game.
Promising seam bowler Richard Muzhange also proved worthwhile with his impressive yorkers while leg spinner Graeme Cremer proved he has the potential of becoming a genuine all-rounder.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
However, the man of the series was undoubtedly Masakadza after scoring four half-centuries in five matches. Befittingly, he has been the obvious focus for praise, given the way he has worked on his game over the past year.
Having laid a good foundation, it is now up to the sports local governing body, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), to ensure that the team is given the best preparatory platform ahead of the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka in September this year.
Zimbabwe have shown that they can give top teams a run for their money in this format, and this quickly brings to mind memories of the famous win against world beaters Australia during the World Twenty20 tournament in South Africa in 2007.
Zimbabwe and South Africa feature in the same group for the upcoming Twenty20 World Cup alongside hosts Sri Lanka, and Alan Butcher and his men must feel that they have got every chance of making it to the later stages of the tournament following the improved performance of the team.
Perhaps ZC counterparts, the Zimbabwe Football Association (Zifa), can learn a thing or two in terms of how to administer a peoples sport.
Notable is the fact that at Sundays game there were almost 11 000 cricket fans at Harare Sports Club, an indication that the improved performance of the team is getting support from Zimbabweans from all walks of life.
Previously, a handful of supporters attended the games due to the poor performances by the team.
It was a job well done. Now they must keep it up.
