MASAKADZA FACES THE CHOP
…ZC to act on probe findings
HAMILTON Masakadza is likely to be removed as director of cricket for Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) as the national governing body seeks to address the problems in the game.
The move follows the adoption of a report examining the failure of the national team to qualify for the 2023 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and the 2024 T20 World Cup, as well as reviewing ZC’s cricket affairs structure.
The report was compiled by a three-member * Committee of Inquiry chaired by Lloyd Mhishi and included Godfrey Nyadongo and Blessing Ngondo.
The report called for fundamental restructuring in several areas, including the coaching setups and domestic and development pathways, with ZC expected to advertise for new head coaches for the senior and Under-19 teams.
They became vacant after the resignations of Dave Houghton and Prosper Utseya.
ZC chairman, Tavengwa Mukuhlani, and his board deliberated on the report, and resolved to adopt it in its entirety, and to immediately implement its recommendations.
Some of the major highlights include restructuring ZC’s Cricket Affairs Department and its personnel, restructuring ZC’s domestic and development pathway.
Other recommendations include restructuring of the coaching set-ups at First Class Level, establishing a national academy and setting up indoor training facilities in all the five First Class provinces.
Renowned coach Walter Chawaguta, who was the Chevrons’ interim head coach, has been named as the new Zimbabwe senior women’s national team head coach, taking over from Gary Brent.
“Management was tasked to look at all the recommendations made by the Mhishi Committee and present an action plan to the board within four weeks. During the meeting, the board also confirmed Walter Chawaguta as the substantive head coach of the Zimbabwe senior women’s national team, while Prosper Utseya’s resignation from his position as head coach of the Zimbabwe Under-19 men’s national team was accepted,” read a statement from ZC.
Reports suggested that Utseya resigned on Monday last week prior to Zimbabwe Under19’s Super Six match against South Africa at the World Cup to pursue a different challenge abroad.
Utseya is believed to be relocating to the USA where he has found a job as a junior team coach.
Results had become a major concern for Zimbabwe after they lost against Associate teams, Namibia and Uganda at the T20 World Cup qualifiers late last year, becoming the only full member to miss out in the 2024 T20 World Cup. Prior to that, the Chevrons also lost to Scotland at the ODI World Cup Qualifiers in July last year on home soil.
The 2022 T20 World Cup is the only World Cup out of a possible five that Zimbabwe featured in over the last five years.
They missed out on the 2019 and 2023 50-over World Cups and 2021 and 2024 T20 World Cups.
As a result of not being at the 2023 World Cup, they will also not play in the 2025 Champions Trophy, which leaves their next opportunity for a men’s World Cup in 2026 at the T20 event.