Zimbabwe are braced for their latest trial by fire in the heat of the Champions Trophy.
Barring a miracle, their trip to India will be brief. The team, still sitting out Test matches, have to play the qualifying tournament with matches against Sri Lanka, West Indies and Bangladesh. Only two sides will make the latter stages.
They go into the competition on the back of a 3-0 defeat by South Africa, a series which finished with their neighbours racking up 418 in Potchefstroom, only the fourth time that 400 has been made in a one-day international.
But Zimbabwe skipper Prosper Utseya, just 21-years-old, is looking on the bright side and said he was encouraged by a 3-2 win over Bangladesh earlier in the year.
”The good thing about our team is that the average age is around 21, so we’re all learning. I’ve played with the guys for a long time, most of them since high school, so it’s not that difficult for me to get respect. We’re all young, we do well together, so respect comes along,” said off-spinner Utseya, who has already played 47 one-dayers.
He is his team’s second most experienced player; wicket-keeper Brendan Taylor has played 50 matches.
The win over Bangladesh was Zimbabwe’s first series triumph since November 2001.
”That really boosted the morale of the guys,” said Utseya.
”Now we’re looking to play Test cricket, and if we can do that soon, it would be great. At the moment, the guys are excited and confident. They’re starting to believe they can win rather than just competing every time. They’re starting to believe more in themselves.”
Zimbabwe coach Kevin Curran believes his young team would not be humiliated.
”We have an inexperienced but talented team of players who can perform well in a tournament like this,” Curran said. ”It is not going to be easy but we will surely put up a good fight.
”It is going to be a massive learning curve for the guys. Obviously, with teams like Sri Lanka and the West Indies playing against us we have to be at our best,” said Curran.
But the 47-year-old, who participated in the 1983 and 1987 World Cups, felt his team had the edge over Bangladesh.
”There is no reason why we can’t beat Bangladesh again but we also have to win another match to qualify.”
Zimbabwe’s first match is against the West Indies in Ahmedabad on October 8. – Sapa-AFP