I’m not retiring, says world’s best striker Prolific Zimbabwean striker Nyasha Mushekwi says he is not thinking about retirement just as yet. The Barcelona captain was the 2018 Fifa World Cup Golden Boot winner. His eight goals in the tournament steered the Warriors to a third place finish. The Zimbabweans became only the third African team in history to reach the semi-final stage at the World Cup after Ivory Coast in 2010 and the Democratic Republic of Congo in 2014.“I’m standing on 33-year-old legs now, but they can still carry me!” said Mushekwi. “In fact, I feel like a 26-year-old! We won the UEFA Champions League and the Spanish La Liga last season and I’m already looking ahead to another great season with Barca.”Superb Sables storm into World Cup semisZimbabwe rugby captain Kundai Hatendi says making it into the 2019 Rugby World Cup semi-finals doesn’t surprise him. The Sables upset giants France in a thrilling quarterfinal tie here yesterday to storm into the last four. The southern Africans’ previous best in the William Ellis Webb Trophy was reaching the quarterfinal stage in 2015. Veteran lock forward Hatendi scored a try while livewire winger Manasah Sita touched down twice to sink Les Bleus, who managed a single try. The slick Danny Robertson, considered by pundits as the best flyhalf in the tournament, notched nine points.Zimbabwe now face neighbours South Africa in the first of the two semi-final showdowns. The Springboks are captained by Zimbabwean-born prop Tendai “Beast” Mtawarira.“We have already achieved something by making the semis,” Hatendi told reporters. “But that doesn’t mean we will relax. We will continue to play to our fullest potential, and if our fullest potential means beating the Boks, then so be it.”Hatendi’s opposite number Mtawarira admitted that playing against his country of birth makes him feel torn part. Said the veteran front-rower: “It’s always a hard one for me every time I come up against Zim. But having played for South Africa all these years, I feel 60% South African now. They’ve been good to me and I want to win for the country.”
Zim tops ODI rankings after Aussies bashThe Zimbabwe cricket team is now at the summit of the ODI team rankings following an impressive 4-1 home series win over Australia. Having lost the Test series 3-2, the Zimbabweans turned on the style to blitz the Aussies in the one-dayers. Never had a Zimbabwean team so dominated a leading international side in all facets of the game. Zimbabwe captain Tatenda Taibu, who was voted Man of the Series, is now the number one ODI batsman, while pace bowler Ed Rainsford is number two on the bowlers’ list. In addition, Elton Chigumbura and Greg Lamb are among the top ten all-rounders in ODI cricket. Zimbabwe have enjoyed a memorable 2014-15 season. Before hosting the Aussies, they whitewashed the West Indies in both Tests and ODIs in the Caribbean.
Black eyes Davis Cup finalZimbabwe’s non-playing captain Wayne Black believes his charges can upset Spain in the 2015 Davis Cup semis in Harare next weekend. The Zimbabweans sailed through in the premier international tennis tournament courtesy of a 4-1 drubbing of Argentina in Buenos Aires last month. Changes in the country’s political and economic fortunes have seen Zimbabwe go on a massive restoration exercise. They worked their way back into in the prestigious World Group having slumped to the lowly Euro-Africa Zone groups following the retirement of Black and his older brother Byron, and doubles specialist Kevin Ullyett. “Zim tennis is back at the top, even better than when we played,” said Black. “Guys are fitter, focused and better prepared. The crowds are back at the City Sports Centre. It’s a nostalgic feeling. I know how it feels to play here, and for three years this current crop has also been getting a feel of it.”Zimbabwe are banking on the singles exploits of Benjie Lock and Takanyi Garan’anga, while in the doubles, the world’s number three pair of Mbonisi Ndimande and Stefan D’Almeida have not lost a rubber at home.”
Enock Muchinjo
