ICC President thinks Zimbabwe can be the best ODI team in the world!

[Hooper]

Mali tips Zimbabwe for the top

Warren Carne

August 28, 2007


Ray Mali, the ICC president, believes Zimbabwe will be at the top of the ICC ODI championship table if the current team is allowed to remain intact for the next three years.

Probably a bit optimistic, but who knows. Maybe they can keep this team together and get some decent facilities and some good coaches. The you can maybe see them rising up, maybe not in 3 years, and probably not the top of the ODI rankings.

The best they were was about 2005, when they had Hondo, Blignaut, Flower, Taibu, Ervine, Price and Streak. Those players were fantastic, but most are gone and I dont think they can be as good as that team was.

What do you think?

 

[legspinner@fred]

Deluded or bribed.
Right, Zimbabwe have very little quality in their line up right now, but it does perform now and again, it won't win, but it may perform.
But if you want to be top you need to actually win, something Zimbabwe hasn't done for 3 years.

How do you make a team win?
I have no idea, coaching to make players quality, and a domestic structure to start, I like the Logan cup, make it happen.
I don't think Mali believes that himself, does he owe someone money in the ZCU?

 

[angryangy]

Obvious facade, really.

Teams at the top know the risks and admit they have to work hard to win, acknowledge competitors' strength and also know that when they fail they really did try or at least failed to capitalise on opportunity.

That is to say, they are usually careful about how they talk themselves up. They have a lot to lose.

Even teams down a bit lower who are optimistic or on the up, they want to be respected, so they don't make bold claims. Even though they have little to lose, they gain respect by acting like the better teams. There are always little things that lead to a massive improvement.

Teams that are absolutely rock bottom make ridiculous statements. They have nothing to lose or gain. Any gain is trivial as it will be haemorraged out. If panic sets in, they see the need to tell everyone that not only are they not in trouble, but they're fantastic.

 

[harishankar]

In the last 10 or 12 years Zimbabwean cricket has gone way behind the international level mostly due to politics and good players retiring or running away to escape the policies of the Zimbabwean government.

I cannot see a change happening so quickly. They may have the talent at the lower level, but I don't see a system in place to improve it drastically to Test standard at least for the next 2 or 3 years.

 

[kookaburra69]

Wow thats a very bold statement there,however I think Zimbabwe can climb up the ODI ladder if they keep preforming as well as they did against South Africa.

 

[RoboRocks]

Very optimistic indeed since there is no FC cricket in Zimbabwe the last time I checked.

There not exactly going to raise players internationally if the don't play any other competitive cricket.

There a team just suffering while being an international team if you ask me.
They should be apart of the associate nations and perhaps come back in 5-6 years time.

 

[Hooper]

I think the president has just said this statement to get Zimbabwe noticed. I don't think they can seriously do it.

They were lucky with the amount of talent they had in '03/04/05. They had fantastic players. But as Rob said, they dont have FC cricket ~ or a good one anyways. They have that cup, but thats it.

They won't come back to Test Cricket, so there main focus is obviously on ODIs from now.

 

[RoboRocks]

Without any FC cricket, how are they supposed to build?
They aren't going to get top class players by playing rookies in ODI's.

They are just going to suffer and be warm up's for other teams.

 

[ZexyZahid]

I don't think even Pakistan will be on top of the ODI series table after three years, so how did he come with that bright thought?

 

[ZoraxDoom]

The ICC President said this, not the Zimbabwe one.

And Zimbabwe have talent, but absolutely no experience or skill. It will take a lot to make them the best team in the world.

 

[Sureshot]

They have as much chance as getting to Number 1 in 3 years (is that technically possible, as they are so far behind?) as Monty does breaking Lara's batting record.

Get them out of Cricket, now!

 

[Will_NA]

They have as much chance as getting to Number 1 in 3 years (is that technically possible, as they are so far behind?) as Monty does breaking Lara's batting record.

Get them out of Cricket, now!

Who knows? Flat pitch, medium-pacers...

It could happen

 

[Animator!]

They do have bags full of potential, it'll just never be realised because they don't have the set-up to aid and support the young cricketers.

 

[Leggie]

and they have beaten india in a test match before...

 

[legspinner@fred]

....and?
They haven't played at test for 2 years.
When was the last time they beat a test nation that is not called Bangladesh in an ODI?