News: [Zimbabwe to host men's Cricket World Cup 2023 qualifying matches]

zimbos_05 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 19, 2020 2:57 am

I don't know if Zim actually bidding for it bodes well. Kind of a sign of them accepting we are so poor we won't qualify automatically.

Either way, they really need to be building a squad for this now. It should all start now. Project 2023. Identifying the players and the coaches, and the backups too. If it means bringing players from overseas back, then so be it. Invest and build towards it now. Qualification does not happen overnight, it takes time and planning. I get the sense we only prepare for the next game and even then we mess it up.

As recently as 2014, Bangladesh did the same thing. We were actually the original host of the last one and when the BCB told the ICC they didn't need it anymore, ZIM stepped in as the new host. The Irish also wanted to host I believe, but ZIM got priority being the senior full member team (Ireland were still associates I think).

zimbos_05 wrote: ↑Sat Dec 19, 2020 8:25 pm

Not sure if my point was missed, but it's not so much about hosting, more about the belief and aspirations I was trying to point at.

Well for ZC its probably less important whether the team qualifies or not, more important for the extra ICC funds that they can embezzle. In which case, its a pity Ireland or USA couldn't host it. If it was in the US, I would definitely have tried my best to show up for some USA games. A world cup qualifier with 3-4 test nations in it would have been the perfect way to try and popularize cricket in America.

zimdan wrote: ↑Sat Dec 19, 2020 12:51 pm

This will likely be the last hurrah for the current core....if they make it that far.

Wes is incredible and will honestly be massive for zim cricket as he is black. Its very refreshing to see a player like him.come through and have the potential to be as good as BT over his career. He must be nurtured and he can inspire younger black kids that it is possible to.play and do well. Too long have our best players been white and while this shouldn't be a problem...it sadly is abd the elitism that comes with cricket and whites in Zim its never done itself any favours being like this.

We need the best 11 players on the field...but we all know this doesn't happen. Chamu as a captain is ridiculous but we know that appointment is political.

Lets hope.things change but we all know they likely won't until we are able to consistently keep our best players in Zim and not look for better offers elsewhere.

Don't forget plenty of black players have fallen foul of ZC and the authorities, look at Tatenda Taibu for example. I actually think ZC only want mediocre players, ones that are dependent on them for their next meal. They don't want anyone too successful as then the organizations value to the player would be diminished.

The money given by ICC to ZC to refurbish grounds and to host the last qualifiers doesn't come close to what we witnessed on the ground. Will they send the same lump sum, no questions asked, or will they assume everything is still well maintained from before? 😂

Unless they send the same folk to inspect, the next delegation will surely be asking wtf did you do with the money we sent you last time?

For not a lot of money they could have really improved OH and Takashinga, those places are run down. The latest trick is some fancy looking tents that they hire for the day instead of building something real out of bricks and mortar and preferably elevated.

The fact that we're getting another shot at hosting means ICC either don't care about some loot going west in the grander scheme of things or someone there is rubbing his little mitts in anticipation.

We needed a couple of Super Soppers last time and we might have qualified- they could have bought a fleet. This time it will be the opposite, we're going to need water, and lots of it!

Having said all of that, I can't wait. It was awesome watching so much international cricket last time.

WI ODI squad for the tour of Bangladesh is extremely weak, this series is a part of the ODI Super league and these are 30 points on the plate for Bangladesh.

WI can get into serious trouble here, as we all know cracking the WC Qualifiers is not at all easy.

UAE have just beaten Ireland! Although not a part of WSL, this still means the competition in WC Qualifiers is going to be intense.

Ireland got walloped despite putting up a decent total. Yeah the WC qualifier is going to be another knife fight just like it was in 2018 with brutal heartbreaks for the Scots, ZIMs, and euphoria for the Afghans.