Zimbabwe cricket finds hope after turning a non-existent dream into a berth among T20 World Cup elites

There is no doubt that Zimbabwe would have wanted to do it differently on Tuesday. Sikandar Raza and Co. would have been keen on displaying another glimpse of their T20I pedigree against Ireland, days after outplaying Australia on equal footing. Nevertheless, the magnitude of the achievement will not be clouded by the luck enjoyed in one result. With some help from the persistent drizzle at Pallekele, the Chevrons managed to seal qualification through to the Super Eights for the first time in their history.

The celebrations began as soon as the umpires walked back up the stairs to have a word with both captains. It had been brewing for a while. The ‘Castle Corner’ – as the Zimbabwean fans are referred to – let out a passionate rendition of their war cry with Raza and the team joining in celebration. The group turned back towards the dressing room with arms around each other’s shoulders, resembling the ‘Poznan’.

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“This is probably the first time in a long time that the fans have travelled to support. And I think that is because of the nature and the way we have played cricket over the last year. We have given them the hope that, yes, this team is onto something and we can achieve something if we are all together,” skipper Raza said after Zimbabwe’s qualification was confirmed. “To see them here tells you a story that they believe in this group of boys. I can only hope there’ll be more and more numbers the next time Zimbabwe travels,” he added.

Progressing to the final eight seemed like a distant dream 24 months ago. The team had failed to even qualify for the 2024 edition of the World Cup. The reset button was hit following that debacle, with Raza taking over the responsibility of a metamorphosis.

“I remember when we were told that we had to play the sub-regional Qualifier B in Kenya. I remember sitting down with the squad, saying either we feel sorry for ourselves and be ashamed or actually understand the reality. It is because of us that we are in this mess and it’s only us who can get it out, so either we all get together and work towards a singular goal, which is to win the qualifiers and get to the World Cup,” Raza reminisced.

From the depths of despair to now occupying a place among the T20I elite in the second stage of a World Cup, the team has come a long way. The skipper says it is down to the side buying into one philosophy and willing to sacrifice certain methods with the hope of finding light at the end of the tunnel.

“I cannot put into words how honoured I feel leading this group of boys and the way they have gone about their business,” the captain said. “One of the goals we set out for was certainly that we’re going to bring more recognition and respect to our country. And to now see everybody taking notice of our country is certainly very humbling and pleasing,” he added.

The Super Eights are just a few days away, but Raza’s immediate focus is on the final group game against Sri Lanka. He has stressed multiple times that under his watch, the focus should remain only on the next game in hand. “The boys are enjoying and rightly so, but once we leave the change room, we’ve got another game in less than 48 hours to prepare for. The Super Eight is certainly a tick in the box, but it’s certainly not the whole box we set out for,” he said.

Awaiting Raza and his men on the other side of the final group-stage encounter is another daunting prospect – taking on India, West Indies and South Africa. The result of that challenge will, however, have little bearing in the long run. For the captain, it is about creating a culture in the dressing room that will take Zimbabwe cricket forward, even after he and some of the other senior figures call it a day.

Published on Feb 17, 2026