"We want to compete with the big boys. We are creating a new venture here. We want to make sure that this country gets to play more games," he said. Maybe, he wanted to instill confidence in his boys. But what followed in the three matches was humiliating for Zimbabwe and Ntini. It was no surprise to see Zimbabwe losing to India but a spineless effort from the hosts raised a few eyebrows.
Look at the numbers. Over the course of the three ODIs, Zimbabwe managed 417 runs and lost 29 wickets in the process. On the other hand, India lost just three wickets, scoring 428 runs and went past the line with ease to complete a whitewash. (KL Rahul's dream debut highlights India's whitewash over Zimbabwe )
Despite Zimbabwe losing their key players in Sean Williams and Craig Ervine to injuries, their meek surrender irked the passionate fans, who had seen cricket in their country go from bad to worse. Over the last week, they saw the game in their country hit rock bottom. Unlike the lively crowd that sets the mood with its dance moves and music, the lot that gathered at the Harare Sports Club during the second ODI on Monday tore into the team.
Let down by the team's abysmal performances, the fans were holding banners with messages ripping their team apart. "Zim cricket players should be arrested and face treason," one of them read. "We are disappointed," read another. Another message on one of the many white posters even apologised to Dhoni. "MS we are sorry."
ZIMBABWE'S DECLINE SHARP
From being one of the fiercest competitors in the era of Heath Streak, Andy Flower and his brother Grant, Zimbabwe have become pushovers. The politicisation of cricket in their country played a huge part in their decline. The financial stress on the board has always been a hindrance to their progress. Last year, Zimbabwe lost one of their best players in Brendan Taylor after he switched to County cricket in England. Taylor revealed concerns about his financial future led to his retirement from the Zimbabwean setup. (Rahul, Fazal fifties script India's 3-0 whitewash over Zimbabwe )
However, the International Cricket Council has done its best by providing the crisis-ridden country with frequent financial aids.
Nevertheless, Zimbabwe cricket continued to steep low as reports of mismanagement of USD 9 million cropped up in 2014. A protest by the players over their salaries shed light on the the ill-conceived usage of ICC funds.
SLIDE CONTINUES DESPITE SUPPORT
Not just financial support, ICC had made sure top teams toured the African nation on a regular basis. Take the case of India, the team governed by the richest cricket board, have toured Zimbabwe twice in the last 12 months. In fact, India haven't toured the likes of England, New Zealand and even their neighbours Sri Lanka with such frequency.
The problem lies with their approach. Dav Whatmore, the 1996 World Cup winning coach with Sri Lanka, was sacked days ahead of the ongoing tour. Doing away with a revered coach, who seemed to be the binding force in a team that lacked big names, made little sense. Ntini was given no time to get used to the Zimbabwean system. Batting coach Lance Klusener, who is an accomplished batsman himself, has struggled to get it right in the limited time he has spent with the team. (KL Rahul promises to fire on all cylinders in T20s vs Zimbabwe )
This is not a one-time phenomenon with Zimbabwe cricket. Former coach Steve Mangongo has been thrown in and out in a game of musical chairs. After being appointed as coach in July 2014, he was sacked and was again appointed as the U-19 coach in 2015. Mangongo now is the frontrunner to take over as the head coach again. Uff!
Similarly, Hamilton Masakadza was sacked as captain following Zimbabwe's first-round exit at World T20 2016. After being appointed as captain in October 2015, Masakadza scored consistently for the team only to see the selectors lose faith in him after a short stutter.
Zimbabwe cricket needs consistency at the top. Be it their administrators, coaching staff or their captains, the board needs to give time for them to prove their mettle. Teams like Afghanistan and Bangladesh, who have grown from strength to strength in the recent past, have given a long rope to the men at the top.
Zimbabwe need to stop whining and start concentrating on the game more. A section of Zimbabwe cricket fans have already started asking questions. “Would you be sad if Zimbabwe Cricket died?,� is a hot topic that is being discussed in a well-followed online forum.
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