Cricket lovers were a happy lot on Tuesday following Zimbabwe’s victory.
It was actually breaking news and I immediately thought of my charming Sub Editor, George Moore, who has on numerous occasions said I should write about sport.
In fact, we had met briefly earlier in the day while I was out shopping in Francistown.
When I told him I was hurrying back home so I would have time to compile this week’s column, he joked that I should write about cricket as Zim were taking on the Lions of Bangladesh.
Thinking nothing more of it, I arrived home later in the evening to discover Zim had pulled off a historic victory.
Although I am not a sport fan, I felt I should please him and write a bit about cricket since it gave some of my countrymen and women a reason to smile.
Zimbabwe beat Bangladesh by 10 runs in Harare to clinch their three-match T20 series, causing much excitement in the cricket world as it is the first time Zim have won a T20 series against a higher ranked side.
“Well done lads, well deserved…let’s make it a habit and get our flag flying high again..” tweeted one Kuda Muratu, while Simba Mwanza wrote, “Master class, now we go into the ODIs (One Day Internationals) with great confidence.”
Others were positive that the Chevrons, as the local cricket team is called, now have the firepower to go toe-to-toe with the likes of England and India, who are considered two of the game’s powerhouses.
I wish I could go on but I don’t have the cricket jargon – or indeed the passion! – but like I said the cricket fanatics were over the moon and looking forward to more victories so I couldn’t ignore their happiness.
We really need such distractions and happy endings so that we at least forget about our troubles for a while.
In other news, I realised quite a number of Zimbos are following the positive developments in our neighbouring Zambia with much interest and wishing the same could be said about Zimbabwe.
Long time opposition leader, Hakainde Hichilema was last year elected Zambia’s seventh President giving hope to our main opposition that it is possible to win power one day.
A year later, Hichilema seems to be doing incredibly well, such that the Zambia Kwacha was recently pointed out as the best performing currency in the region.
And here we are with our worst currency in the world!
In June, inflation in Zambia dropped to a single digit for the first time in three years, while ours is currently at 595 percent.
Now some people are saying they will relocate to Zambia if opposition leader, Nelson Chamisa does not triumph in next year’s general elections.
The general feeling is a new governing party and a new leader is just what Zimbabwe needs to turn around the economy of our country just like what happened in Zambia.
The sad reality though is that just like in the past, ZanuPF will hang onto power at all costs and will never concede defeat.
