By Trevor Makonyonga
Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) chairperson Tavengwa Mukuhlani has vowed that the country’s cricket governing body will bid for more ICC events after successfully hosting the Women’s ICC Africa qualifier.
Mukuhlani said this after meeting with International Cricket Council (ICC) Chief Executive Manu Sawhney who had visited Harare to hold preliminary discussions with ZC on the hosting of ICC events in the period from 2023 to 2031.
In a ZC press release, the Chairperson said Zimbabwe will be looking to bid for more ICC events after successfully hosting the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2018 and the ICC Women’s Qualifier Africa 2019.
“Those qualifiers were in ICC’s view, the turning point for what is possible in Zimbabwe,” Mukuhlani said.
“They were able to see that there is a cricket culture and that there are cricket fans here. They were impressed with what they saw in 2018 and the way we hosted and that will always be a reference point when we make proposals to bid for the next ICC events.”
Sawnhey’s visit is part of the ICC’s initiative to meet all members to brief them on the process to be adopted for the allocation of ICC events in the 2023-2031cycle comprising eight men’s events, eight women’s events, four men’s Under-19 events and four women’s Under-19 events.
Mukuhlani also outlined the purpose of the ICC boss’ visit.
“The main purpose of their visit was to discuss with us the next ICC cycle,which is 2023-2031, and the various possibilities that are there for us to host ICC events,” Mukuhlani said.
The ZC boss also added that in the meeting they discussed the financial strategies and plans that ICC and ZC have been working on since 2018.
“It was a positive engagement and we are looking forward to a better future for ZC and our cricket.”
Along with Sawhney was ICC Commercial General Manager Campbell Jamieson. The ICC officials met with ZC Chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani and the ZC executive trio of acting Managing Director Givemore Makoni, Director of Cricket Hamilton Masakadza and Head of Finance and Administration Feroza Shariff before proceeding to meet Youth, Sport, Arts andRecreation Minister Kirsty Coventry.
