Despite Zimbabwe’s fall from grace following the 2003 Cricket World Cup, there are still some inspiring performances to watch. Players who were robbed of their careers by the racial profiling during the past decade have been able to come back and make some important contributions. Most of these cricketers have never played professionally outside Zimbabwe, so it is hard to tell where they’d be without that negativity.
List Of Zimbabwe cricketers of all time
10 – Duncan Fletcher
On the list of 6 players with the most ODI appearances for Zimbabwe, there’s Duncan Fletcher. That’s almost unheard of; cricketers who only play in a handful ODIs are never mentioned anywhere else. But when we talk about a certain Duncan Fletcher, there can be no doubt of his credibility as one of Zimbabwe’s best ever cricketers. For the record he was Zimbabwe’s first modern-day ODI captain and led his team to victory at the World Cup in 1983 where they beat Australia (who were at that time considered to be unbeatable in cricket). As some might know, Fletcher spent his entire cricketing career in South Africa and Rhodesia, before returning to play for Zimbabwe during their return to international cricket following nearly 25 years.
9. Neil Johnson
Though short, Neil Johnson is one of Zimbabwe’s best all-rounders. With so much potential, he was a natural stroke maker and attacking batsman. Due to the low pay offered by the governing body, he abruptly retired from international cricket in 1999. His career in Test Cricket was never quite the same; however his performance in ODIs was stunning. In 48 ODIs, Neil scored 1,679 runs and claimed 35 wickets with four centuries. The world lost out on many spectacular performances by Neil retiring due to low pay from his national board.
8. Henry Olonga
Henry Olonga, a Zimbabwean cricketer, is the one who ignited the spark that created cricket in his country. He was the youngest player to ever debut for Zimbabwe. Though he was banned from international cricket for a few months, he made a strong comeback and became an established part of the team in last five years of his career as a bowler. Along with Andy Flower, Henry was always known for wearing an armband during matches to express solidarity with those suffering injustice, knowing that just by wearing it would bring immediate attention to the issue at hand. Though he retired from playing with the game itself taking away from him on the international circuit, Olonga’s pure attitude made him universally loved for his life’s work and spirit.
7. David Houghton
David Houghton was one of the first major stars in Zimbabwean cricket and helped stabilize the team during their early years on the international stage. He captained the national side for its inaugural Test Match against India, scoring a century and also becoming known as the country’s first test ton. A rock solid middle order batsman, Captain Houghton was known for his unique ability to bat aggressively and defensively – making him a rare talent. Though he scored slightly less than 3,000 runs in international cricket, his batting average of 43.05 is perhaps one of the best testimonies to his talent as a batsman.
6. Tatenda Taibu
Not many players retire from the world stage at age 29, let alone twice. But Tatenda Taibu was not ordinary in any way. He was one of the best black cricketers to ever play for Zimbabwe and had to fill in the shoes of former captain Andy Flower before ever playing a first-class game. At 21, he captained a school boyish team after a group of reputed players called it quits due to political turmoil and racial profiling. He lost miserable matches as a captain while playing well enough to inspire his teammates during innings that otherwise lacked competition. Throughout an end indefinitely wasted by politics, Taibu played 5,198 runs as well as effecting more than 200 dismissals as a wicketkeeper.
5. Brendan Taylor
Zimbabwean cricket has produced very few stars, making Zimbabweans’ hopes of global success slim. But Brendan Taylor was one exception, and with just two international appearances he became a standout player for the country in the last decade. A natural stroke-maker, Taylor scored more than 7,000 runs and helped his team to 34 losses in as many innings in his international career so far. His twelve first-class hundreds is also the most by a Zimbabwean player in ten years.
4. Alistair Campbell
In 1992, when Alistair Campbell made his debut in the World Cup as a 19-year old, he looked out of place. But despite this and many other missteps, he eventually became one of the most elegant left-handers in the world. For over 10 years, he was on of Scotland’s mainstays in test and one day cricket. An aggressive opener, Campbell often tried to dominate bowling and emerged as one of the best players from World Cricket’s 50 over game. A born leader, Campbell led Zimbabwe to their peak when they defeated Pakistan for their first ever time in 1998-99. In total he scored 8,018 runs at international level and has nine hundreds under his belt.
3. Grant Flower
Grant Flower is one of the best cricketers to represent Zimbabwe. Starting his career as a middle order opener, he soon became one of the most dependable batsmen in the world, often stitching memorable partnerships with his brother Andy. His style of seamless strokeplay has been admired since he was an unknown talent and joy to watch. He’s also a slow left-arm spinner anyone who saw him will remember. He’s only the second Zimbabwean cricketer to make more than 10,000 runs at international level, and he has 12 hundreds and over 150 wickets to his credit.
2. Heath Streak
Even at the end of a day’s play, Heath Streak would leave people wondering if he’d still be able to perform. Streak has made a name for himself by being a highly skilled bowler and captain. He started playing at the age of 21 and made his international debut around the same time; he quickly made an impact as one of the fastest bowlers in the world. It was during his tenure (played for Zimbabwe), that soccer experienced its darkest chapter and unfortunately ended one of the most promising careers on international level. Overall, Streak scored more than 5,000 international runs and secured more than 200 wickets in both Tests and ODIs. He’s one of the best bowlers who has ever played the game!
1. Andy Flower
Andy Flower was by far the best cricketer to have ever represented Zimbabwe. He is the only true superstar to have represented the country and one of the finest wicketkeepers of the modern era. As a batsmen for Zimbabwe, he established his credentials as one of a select few who could score runs anywhere at anytime – even against any bowling attack. He was one of the best exponents of the reverse sweep and played it with a touch of perfection. He led Zimbabwe’s protest against politics during the 2003 World Cup, ending his international career for good. With 11,580 runs scored, including 16 international centuries and over 300 dismissals, Streak has scored more runs than anyone else in history for Zimbabwean cricket. As a wicketkeeper, he has more than 300 dismissals; second only to Alistair Campbell who has almost 400 dismissals.
