Chigumbura aims for big upset

ALL-ROUNDER, Elton Chigumbura, will lead the national cricket team at the forthcoming Cricket World Cup with a scent of an upset in his nostrils.The World Cup, to be played in Australia and New Zealand, begins this Saturday and runs until March 29.
The 28-year-old Chevrons skipper, who played in the 2007 and 2011 Cricket World Cup told the Financial Gazette Sport that he will bear the burden of leading the way together with a handful of reliable players such as top order batsman Brendan Taylor, Hamilton Masakadza, Sean Williams, and the promising 25-year-old right hander Solomon Mire.
Chigumbura believes they are genuine quarter-finals contenders.
“I think with some of the  guys we have in the team like Taylor, Masakadza, Williams, myself  and Mire, it will be hard not to go all the way in this tournament where we aim to upset bigger teams and at least reach the quarter finals,”  said Chigumbura.
“However, I am not saying the other guys are not capable of doing the job but if we all fire, we will go all the way.”
He added: “There are a lot of expectations but let me assure you that we will do our best.”

To reach the quarter-finals, Zimbabwe will need to beat Ireland and the United Arab Emirates, the non-Test nations in Pool B and then find a way to defeat at least one of India, South Africa, Pakistan and the West Indies.
India are the defending champions, while Pakistan and West Indies are former champions.
Zimbabwe’s southern neighbour, South Africa is a respected nation in world cricket. Zimbabwe will be looking up to the experience of such players as Taylor, Williams, Craig Ervine, Regis Chakabva, off-spinner Prosper Utseya, opening bowler Tinashe Panyangara and Chigumbura.

All-rounder Chamu Chibhabha, Tawanda Mupariwa and Stuart Matsikenyeri — a right arm off-break bowler who can also bat played at the 2007 World Cup and are making a return to the tournament.
There have been interesting additions to the team like right hand batsman Masakadza who will need to prove himself for the first time at the big stage after missing the last three additions.
Hopes are also pinned on the other World Cup debutants like  opener Sikandar Razza-But, Mire, Tendai Chatara and Tafadzwa Kamungozi who have shown much promise.
Zimbabwe has a new coach Dav Whatmore, who won the World Cup with Sri Lanka in 1996.

Whatmore last month declared his intentions of leading the team to the quarter finals of the tournament.
But they will need to win at least three matches to qualify for the quarter finals.
Whatmore said: “We know that we carry the expectation of Zimbabwe but I can assure you that we are deadly serious about this and fortunes will be turned around.
“Conditions (in Australia and New Zealand) will be different but we will compete and you will get the best.”
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