Zimbabwe face daunting task at ICC champions trophy opener

By Tichaona Sibanda
5 October 2006

The Zimbabwe cricket squad, who were the first side to arrive in India for the International Cricket Council Champions Trophy that begins this Saturday, look set to become the first team to fly back home from the tournament.

The young and inexperienced Zimbabwe team, captained by 21 year-old Prosper Utseya face the defending champions, the West Indies in the first of three preliminary round matches of the tournament. Sri Lanka and Bangladesh are the other teams involved in the preliminary rounds.

The four sides will play each other for the right to progress to the next stage. Only two of them can progress to the second round where they will join the six other sides taking part. The two sides that go through will join the other six (Australia, South Africa, India, Pakistan, New Zealand and England), in the second round with the teams divided into two groups of four.

Zimbabwe’s campaign in India begins on Sunday against the mighty West Indies amid greater anticipation than usual for a side that has lost all its quality players in the last three years. Coach Kevin Curran has been backing his young side to prove their worth in the upcoming tournament.

But cricket analyst Elvis Sembezeya said its going to be ‘extremely difficult’ for the players to start off such a tournament by playing their opening game against some of the legends of the game, ‘players like Brian Lara.’

‘To make matters worse, the squad has just lost one of its opening batsman Vusa Sibanda, who has joined an Australian side. I think all what they need to do is go out there and have fun because they have having nothing to lose but to gain experience,’ said Sembezeya.

World champions Australia start as favourites, as they have in every one-day tournament over the last decade, bidding to capture the only item of silverware missing from their overflowing trophy cabinet. As well as strength in depth and a wealth of experience, Australia’s form is also encouraging after claiming a one-day tri-series victory in Malaysia last month, upstaging West Indies in the final, after knocking out India.