Zimbabwe is one of the ten teams that will compete in the World Cup Qualifier starting in June 2023. They have participated in the World Cup Qualifier 4 times with their debut in 1983. They also became champions in the World Cup Qualifier in 1982, 1986, and 1990. For the very first time, they appeared in the Cricket World Cup in 1983 and since then they have participated in the tournament 9 times. Zimbabwe also qualified for the Super Eight round in 1999 and 2003.
Zimbabwe will commence their journey in the qualifier round with the first ODI against Nepal at Harare Sports Club, Harare on 18 June, then they will take charge against the Netherlands on 20 June 2023 at the same stadium. On 24 June 2023, they will face West Indies in their 3rd game at the same venue and ultimately they will play their last ODI in the group stage against the United States at Harare Sports Club, Harare on 26 June 2023.
Zimbabwe Squad ICC World Cup Qualifiers 2023
- Craig Ervine (Captain)
- Ryan Burl
- Wellington Masakadza
- Tendai Chatara
- Luke Jongwe
- Innocent Kaia
- Brad Evans
- Joylord Gumbie
- Tadiwanashe Marumani
- Clive Madande
- Wesley Madhevere
- Richard Ngarava
- Blessing Muzarabani
- Sikandar Raza
- Sean Williams
Under the captaincy of Craig Ervine along with Dave Houghton as a head coach, Zimbabwe will enter the World Cup Qualifier 2023. The Zimbabwe skipper made his ODI debut against India in 2010. Since then, he has participated in 107 ODIs where he has acquired 2,948 runs with 3 centuries and 18 half-centuries.
Zimbabwe has made the decision to field a team comprising seasoned international players, with the exception of wicketkeeper-batter Joylord Gumbie, who is yet to earn his first cap. In their pursuit of qualifying for the tournament later this year in India, they will have the services of all their prominent players, including Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Sean Williams, and captain Craig Ervine.
The hosts will rely on the pace duo of Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava to spearhead their fast-bowling attack, supported by Wellington Masakadza. The squad of 15 members also includes regular players such as Bradley Evans, Ryan Burl, Luke Jongwe, and Innocent Kaia.
The Zimbabwe team became an Associate Member on July 21, 1981, and then in the 1983 World Cup, they performed admirably in the tournament. Despite losing five out of six matches, they caused a major upset by defeating Australia in one of their group-stage matches. This outcome had a significant impact as it affected Australia's chances of reaching the semifinals of the tournament.
Their performance in the 1987 and 1992 World Cups was lackluster, but they came close to defeating Sri Lanka in a league match in 1992. Additionally, they secured a victory over England, who eventually became the tournament's runners-up, with a margin of 9 runs.
The period spanning from 1997 to 2002 is often referred to as the glorious era of Zimbabwean cricket. The team boasted an exceptional lineup of players including Andy Flower, Grant Flower, Heath Streak, Alistair Campbell, Murray Goodwin, Henry Olonga, Paul Strang, and Neil Johnson. Their journey in the 1999 World Cup was remarkable. They achieved notable wins against top-tier teams like India and South Africa during the group-stage matches. Zimbabwe managed to advance to the super six stage, finishing in fifth place in the 1999 World Cup. They narrowly missed out on a semifinal spot due to their run rate. Undoubtedly, their improved performances left a lasting impression on the cricketing community. They subsequently hosted the 2003 World Cup, which unfortunately concluded on a disappointing note.
Presently, Zimbabwe is holding the 11th position in the ICC ODI team ranking. As of June 2023, they have appeared in 559 One Day Internationals where they achieved the triumph in 146 and lost 392 matches.