Zimbabwe Cricket Chairman defends Team Selection

Philemon Jambaya

Zim Now Editor

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani has defended the team's selection criteria, stating that they have selected the best available talent despite a dire run of form over the past year. Mukuhlani's comments come in response to criticism from former cabinet minister David Coltart, who suggested that the team's poor performances are due to racial bias in selection.

Mukuhlani emphasized that Zimbabwe Cricket is not a magical organization that can produce overnight successes. He pointed out that the organization was bankrupt and insolvent just a few years ago, with liabilities three times bigger than its income. "We started playing proper normal cricket from 2021," Mukuhlani said. "There is no magic we could have played to create high-level cricketers in such an environment."

Mukuhlani believes that the issue is not selection, race, or tribalism, but rather the talent pool available. "If you engage me on a matter of, chairman, we have identified that consistently we are failing in this area. How do we address it? Then we are talking against Zimbabwe," Mukuhlani said. He disputes Coltart's claims that the team is failing due to racial bias, stating that he has given the best batsmen available.

Mukuhlani emphasized that Zimbabwe Cricket runs a system with pitfalls, but grandstanding is not the solution. "When they do happen, let's identify them and fix them, not to grandstand," he said. Mukuhlani believes that constructive criticism is welcome, but unfounded accusations of racism and tribalism are not helpful.

Despite the team's poor run of form, Mukuhlani remains 100% behind the players. "The bad patch is not great for the fans, but it has also not been easy for the players," he said. Mukuhlani urged fans not to be too quick to judge the players, given the high caliber of matches they are playing.