Record Book – Highest ODI scores for Zimbabwe

It has been 12 years since Charles Coventry equalled the then record for the highest individual score in men’s ODIs, with an unbeaten 194 (his only ODI century) against Bangladesh at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. This innings remains the highest score in an ODI defeat as well as the highest for Zimbabwe. On […]

Record Book – Highest scores on Test debut for Zimbabwe

Twenty years ago, on 29th July 2001, Zimbabwe’s Hamilton Masakazda created history by becoming the youngest batsman to score a hundred on Test debut. Masakadza was only 17 years and 352 days old when he achieved the feat against the West Indies at Harare (just over a month later, Mohammad Ashraful of Bangladesh became the […]

Record Book – Best ODI bowling figures for Zimbabwe

So far, there have been five instances of a Zimbabwean bowler taking six wickets in an innings in ODI cricket, besides an instance of a bowler taking five wickets while conceding less than ten runs. On that note, we look at the six best returns by Zimbabwean bowlers in this format. 6/19 by Henry Olonga […]

Specials – Brian Lara’s tryst with T20 cricket

It would not be an overstatement to say that had T20 cricket been introduced during the peak of Brian Lara’s career, the ‘Prince of Trinidad’ would have been one of the most sought-after players in the format. As it happened, he was not part of the West Indies’ first T20 international, against New Zealand at […]

Specials – Zimbabwe’s best ODI performances in Australia

As things stand, there is no certainty yet on whether Zimbabwe’s ODI tour of Australia in August will take place as scheduled. However, that is not going to stop us from revisiting the Chevrons’ most spirited displays on Australian soil. Since their first appearance at the 1992 World Cup, Zimbabwe have played 28 […]

Famous Test Matches – West Indies v Zimbabwe, Port of Spain, 1999-00

This was the first Test match to be played between the two teams. The West Indies had endured a tough time in their previous Test series in New Zealand, which had resulted in a 2-0 whitewash, and were looking to make amends on home soil. Brian Lara not only resigned from the captaincy in […]

Who Would Have Thought It – Kenya defend 134 in an ODI

It is well known that Kenya defended a modest total of 166 in their famous 1996 World Cup victory against the West Indies at Pune’s Nehru Stadium. The historic match, played on Leap Year Day, saw the unheralded Associate side bowl the two-time champions out for a paltry 93, with the wreckers-in-chief being Rajab […]

Record Book – Zimbabwe’s first away ODI series win

The late 1990s and early 2000s were arguably the best years for Zimbabwe’s ODI fortunes. In September 2000, they beat New Zealand in a series for the first time, by 2-1 at home. Three months later, they toured New Zealand for a return three-match series. In the interim, the Kiwis had won the Champions Trophy […]

Specials – Best of the 1999 World Cup, Part 4

Having looked back at the best from the group stage of the 1999 World Cup in the first three parts of this five-part series, we move on to some of the memorable matches seen in the second round of the tournament, i.e. the Super Six stage, in which each of the six teams played […]

Specials – Best of the 1999 World Cup, Part 3

In this third of a five-part series on the matches that shaped the 1999 edition of the World Cup, we look back at the best that the final phase of the tournament’s group stage had to offer. Johnson’s superb all-round show – South Africa v Zimbabwe, Group A, Chelmsford Zimbabwe qualified for the […]