ZIMBABWE UNFAZED BY BIG TEAMS

MELBOURNE: The days have long passed when Zimbabwe were just happy to be at the World Cup. This year, the Africans are making their ninth straight appearance at cricket’s greatest spectacle.

They may still be regarded as one of the big underdogs but that’s not how they view themselves, and have the results over a long time to prove it.

Before the end of the 1990s, Zimbabwe had beaten every major cricket playing country at least once in a one-day International.

In 1999 and 2003 they made it to the Super Six stage of the World Cup. They beat Australia last year and in their final warm-up before the World Cup they upset Sri Lanka.

“It gives us a lot of confidence. It gives us a lot of the belief that we do need as a team, that it’s possible to beat a big team,” said Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura.

“We’re looking forward to the main games now, and hopefully the guys who performed well will carry on with their form and hopefully finish on the better side.” REUTERS