THE Zimbabwe cricket team’s loss to Afghanistan must not be taken lightly.
The Chevrons recently lost 3-2 in One Day International (ODI) cricket series at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo.
After the humiliating loss, the hosts lost the first Twenty20 cricket series by six wickets on Monday at the same venue.
What makes a loss to Afghanistan humiliating is not just losing at home, but the fact that the visitors are an ‘associate’ side to the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Associate members are countries where cricket is firmly established and organised, but do not qualify for full ICC membership.
Afghanistan became a member of the ICC in 2013.
The Afghan do not play Test cricket, but have become the first associate side to beat a Full Member in bilateral ODIs.
The loss to Afghanistan leaves the administrators with a very serious headache.
Where is the game going?
Are we that bad to lose to a non-Test playing nation?
The composition of Zimbabwe team makes one think of conspiracy theories.
Most of the players in the Chevrons have played cricket at the highest level.
Heads must roll at Zimbabwe Cricket.
Afghanistan only came into the picture in 2013 while some of the Chevrons players by that year had 10 years of playing the ‘gentleman’s’ game at international level.
The first ODI was an impressive victory for Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club winning by eight wickets with 160 balls to spare on October 16.
The second ODI was claimed by the visitors who set a target of 271 for six and the Chevrons crumbled at 213 all out in 46.4 overs handing the Afghan a 58 runs victory on October 18.
The third ODI was tightly contested as the series was tied 1-1.
Zimbabwe managed a six-wicket win with two balls to spare on October 20 taking a 2-1 lead.
The visitors then took the world by storm claiming the fourth and fifth ODIs by three wickets and 72 runs respectively.
Players like skipper Elton Chigumbura are now stalwarts of the game, but their inconsistency is worrisome.
Hamilton Masakadza was demoted to Zimbabwe ‘A’ together with Vusimuzi Sibanda, among others, as their performances were below expectations.
As a result, the senior men’s team that faced Afghanistan had changes.
The history books have recorded that Zimbabwe lost to an associate side.
The loss means without some players our team is weak and that our player base is not so broad and produces less competitive players.
After the Afghanistan series, Zimbabwe welcome Bangladesh where the Chevrons’ second string side play the visitors’ ‘A’ side in three unofficial ODIs and two unofficial Tests in Bulawayo from November 2.
While the two ‘A’ sides clash in Bulawayo, the senior teams clash in Mirpur, Bangladesh.
They play three ODI and two T20 cricket series.
The busy schedule is expected to improve the Chevron’s level of competitiveness.