Pres. ED to dine with Cricket World Cup teams
FOREIGN teams that are in the country for the International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup Qualifier will be welcomed to Zimbabwe by the highest office in the land when President Emmerson Mnangagwa speaks at a dinner in Harare this evening.
Presidential spokesperson, George Charamba confirmed that the President will be in attendance at the dinner where he will be the most significant speaker for the evening.
“He is attending, he is the main speaker, it’s a major event so he has to be there,’’ Charamba said.
The dinner is taking place at a Harare hotel with all the 10 teams taking part in the tournament to be represented. Zimbabwe, , West Indies, Afghanistan, Ireland, Scotland, Hong Kong, Scotland, Papua New Guinea, Nepal and United nited Arab Emirates are the countries taking part in the tournament which runs from 4 to 25 March. From m the 10, only two teams, the ones that will contest the e final at Harare Sports Club on 25 March will head to o England next year.
Zimbabwe Cricket head ad of corporate affairs Nesta Vaki said other speeches s for the function will come from the Minister of Sport, Arts and Recreation Kazembe Kazembe, ZC chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani as well as an ICC official.
“We are having an event to officially open the Qualifier, His Excellency cy President Emmerson Mnangagwa is the main n speaker. We are also having speeches by the e Minister of Sport, Arts and Recreation Kazembe Kazembe, ZC chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani and a representative from the ICC,’’ Vaki said.
According to Vaki, the he bulk of the teams will be fully represented at the dinner except for Scotland and Ireland who are flying into to Bulawayo this afternoon who will l just have part representation.
“Most of the teams are e turning out in their numbers but the teams that are flying straight to Bulawayo are just sending representatives so that all ll the 10 countries are represented,’’ d,’’ said Vaki.
West Indies were the first team to arrive in the country last Sunday. They were followed by Afghanistan and Zimbabwe who arrived on Tuesday with the Chevrons arriving in two batches which saw the other players make it on the next day. Netherlands flew into Zimbabwe on Friday while UAE made it yesterday. PNG, Nepal, Hong Kong, Ireland and Scotland arrive today. Ireland and Scotland are expected to touch down at Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport just after midday from South Africa. A delegation led by the Bulawayo Local Organising Committee chairman Nicholas Singo will welcome the two teams. Traditional dancers have been organised to provide entertainment for the Europeans and give them a warm welcome to Bulawayo.
Ireland, one of the favourites to win the tournament are only playing two warm up matches in Bulawayo before they find their way to Harare on Friday for their group encounters.