List of Zimbabwe national cricket captains

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Zimbabwe became a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) on 6 July 1992, thereby gaining the right to play Test matches. It had previously become an associate member of the ICC on 21 July 1981, a year after the country's internationally recognised independence. Before this, Rhodesia had competed in the South African Currie Cup domestic competition. Since joining the ICC, Zimbabwe have had seven Test captains, fourteen One Day International captains and two Twenty20 captains, along with a number of youth captains.

Contents

Before becoming a full member of the ICC, Zimbabwe played in the 1983 Cricket World Cup, when, under the captaincy of Duncan Fletcher, they beat Australia, and in the 1987 Cricket World Cup under the captaincy of John Traicos, who had previously played Test cricket for South Africa. Upon full membership, David Houghton captained the side in Zimbabwe's first Test matches, as well as in the 1992 Cricket World Cup. Andy Flower, the most successful batsman Zimbabwe has produced, captained the side to their first Test win against Pakistan in 1995. [1] He was followed as captain by Alistair Campbell. Under his captaincy, the side achieved its first Test series win in 1998 and, in the 1999 Cricket World Cup, passed the first round for the first time.

After Campbell's resignation for "personal reasons", [2] fast bowler Heath Streak became captain. While Test success—except against newcomers Bangladesh—remained elusive, the side once again reached the second round of the 2003 Cricket World Cup, when they co-hosted the tournament. Not long after this tournament, however, the Zimbabwe Cricket Union sacked Streak, prompting 14 other players to walk out, leaving Tatenda Taibu as captain in the age of 20 . [3] During his tenure as captain, the side suffered its first defeat to Bangladesh and failed to win a single Test. Further political problems led to Taibu's resignation in 2006. At this point, Zimbabwe withdrew from playing Test matches. [4] Since the Test withdrawal, several players have captained the one day side, although none has achieved significant success. The side is once again competing in the South African domestic competition under the captaincy of Hamilton Masakadza. Zimbabwe has regained it's test status in 2011.

Men's cricket

Test match captains

As of February 2023, 12 cricketers have captained the Zimbabwean cricket team for at least one Test match. The table of results is complete to the second Test against West Indies on 14 February 2023, the last Test in which Zimbabwe have played. [5] [6] Where a player has a dagger (†) next to a Test match series in which he captained at least one Test, that denotes that player deputised for the appointed captain or was appointed for a minor proportion in a series.

Zimbabwe played their first Test match, after regaining their Test status, against Bangladesh at the Harare Sports Club in Harare. The only Test started on Thursday 4 August 2011. Bangladesh won the toss and elected to field first. Zimbabwe won the Test on day five by 130 runs. Since then they won three Tests more, two against Bangladesh and one against Pakistan.

NumberNameYear(s) [nb 1] OppositionLocationPlayedWonLostDrawn
1 David Houghton 1992/93 India Zimbabwe1001
1992/93 New Zealand Zimbabwe2011
1992/93 India India1010
Total4022
2 Andy Flower 1993/94 Pakistan Pakistan3021
1994/95 Sri Lanka Zimbabwe3003
1994/95 Pakistan Zimbabwe3120
1995/96 South Africa Zimbabwe1010
1995/96 New Zealand New Zealand2002
1999/2000 South Africa Zimbabwe1010
1999/2000 Sri Lanka Zimbabwe3012
1999/2000 West Indies West Indies2020
2000 England England2011
Total201109
3 Alistair Campbell 1996 Sri Lanka Sri Lanka2020
1996/97 Pakistan Pakistan2011
1996/97 England Zimbabwe2002
1997/98 New Zealand Zimbabwe2002
1997/98 Sri Lanka Sri Lanka2020
1997/98 New Zealand New Zealand2020
1997/98 Pakistan Zimbabwe2011
1998/99 India Zimbabwe1100
1998/99 Pakistan Pakistan2101
1999/2000 Australia Zimbabwe1010
1999/2000 South Africa South Africa1010
2002/03 Pakistan Zimbabwe2020
Total212127
4 Heath Streak 2000/01 New Zealand Zimbabwe2020
2000/01 India India2011
2000/01 New Zealand New Zealand1001
2000/01 Bangladesh Zimbabwe2200
2001 India Zimbabwe2110
2001 West Indies Zimbabwe2011
2001/02 South Africa Zimbabwe2011
2003 England England2020
2003/04 Australia Australia2020
2003/04 West Indies Zimbabwe2011
2003/04 Bangladesh Zimbabwe2101
Total214116
5 Brian Murphy 2001/02 Bangladesh Bangladesh1001
6 Stuart Carlisle 2001/02† Bangladesh Bangladesh1100
2001/02 Sri Lanka Sri Lanka3030
2001/02 India India2020
Total6150
7 Tatenda Taibu 2004 Sri Lanka Zimbabwe2020
2004/05 Bangladesh Bangladesh2011
2004/05 South Africa South Africa2020
2005/06 New Zealand Zimbabwe2020
2005/06 India Zimbabwe2020
Total10091
8 Brendan Taylor 2011 Bangladesh Zimbabwe1100
2011 Pakistan Zimbabwe1010
2011 New Zealand Zimbabwe1010
2012 New Zealand New Zealand1010
2013 West Indies West Indies2020
2013 Bangladesh Zimbabwe2110
2013 Pakistan Zimbabwe1100
2014 South Africa Zimbabwe1010
2014 Bangladesh Bangladesh3030
2021 Pakistan Zimbabwe2020
2021 Bangladesh Zimbabwe1010
Total163130
9 Hamilton Masakadza 2013 Pakistan Zimbabwe1010
2018/19 Bangladesh Bangladesh2110
Total3120
10 Graeme Cremer 2016 New Zealand Zimbabwe2020
2016 Sri Lanka Zimbabwe2020
2016 Sri Lanka Sri Lanka1010
2017/18 West Indies Zimbabwe2011
2017/18 South Africa South Africa1010
Total8071
11 Sean Williams 2019/20 Sri Lanka Zimbabwe2011
2021 Afghanistan UAE2110
Total4121
12 Craig Ervine 2019/20† Bangladesh Bangladesh1010
2023 West Indies Zimbabwe2011
Total3021
Grand total117137529

One Day International captains

Grant Flower, captain for a single ODI in 2001 Grant Flower.jpg
Grant Flower, captain for a single ODI in 2001

As of January 2023, 23 cricketers have captained the Zimbabwean cricket team for at least one One Day International.The table of results is complete up to the third and final ODI against Netherlands in March 2023.

NO.NameSpanPlayedWonTiedLostNR
1 Duncan Fletcher 198361050
2 John Traicos 198760060
3 David Houghton 1992/931710160
4 Andy Flower 11993–200052122353
5 Alistair Campbell 1996–200286302522
6 Heath Streak 2000–200468180473
7 Grant Flower 1200110010
8 Guy Whittall 200140040
9 Brian Murphy 200140040
10 Stuart Carlisle 2001/02126060
11 Tatenda Taibu 2004–052920270
12 Terry Duffin 2006135071
13 Prosper Utseya 2006–201068201470
14 Hamilton Masakadza 2008–2015, 2018-20192500241
15 Elton Chigumbura 2010–201662180440
16 Brendan Taylor 2011–2015, 20213790280
17 Graeme Cremer 2015–201835122201
18 Peter Moor 201944000
19 Chamu Chibhabha 202040130
20 Sean Williams 202020020
21 Craig Ervine 2021-Present145072
22 Regis Chakabva 202283050
23 Sikandar Raza 2022-202320020
Grand total559146839213

1 Andy Flower and Grant Flower are brothers.

Twenty20 International captains

Two cricketers have captained the Zimbabwean cricket team for at least one Twenty20 international.The table of results is complete up to the third and final match against Ireland in January 2023.

No.NameYearPlayedWonTiedLostNR
1 Prosper Utseya 2006–2010103160
2 Elton Chigumbura 2010-20151820160
3 Brendan Taylor 2011–2014, 20211840140
4 Sikandar Raza 2015, 202142020
5 Hamilton Masakadza 2016-20191951130
6 Graeme Cremer 2016-201851040
7 Sean Williams 2019-2020,2021113080
8 Chamu Chibhabha 202030030
9 Craig Ervine 2021–Present33180141
10 Regis Chakabva 202220020
Grand total123382821

Youth cricket

Test match captains

Two cricketers have captained the Zimbabwean Under-19 cricket team for at least one under-19 Test match.

NumberNameYear [nb 1] OppositionLocationPlayedWonLostDrawn
1 Brian Murphy 1995/96 England Zimbabwe3021
2 Bertus Erasmus 1997 England England3021
Grand total6042

Youth One-Day International captains

Ten cricketers have captained the Zimbabwean Under-19 cricket team for at least one Under-19 One Day International.

No.NameYearPlayedWonTiedLostNoR
1 Brian Murphy 199610010
2 Bertus Erasmus 199720020
3 Mark Vermeulen 199762040
4 Mluleki Nkala 200030030
5 Travis Friend 200043010
6 Tatenda Taibu 200286020
7 Tinotenda Mawoyo 200463030
8 Sean Williams 2005/06103070
9 Prince Masvaure 200861050
10 Dylan Higgins 2009/10123090
11 Tinotenda Mutombodzi 200950050
12 Peter Moor 201050050
13 Godwill Mamhiyo 201140040
14 Roy Kaia 201110010
15 Matthew Bentley 2012102080
16 Ryan Burl 201210010
17 Luke Masasire 201210010
18 Malcolm Lake 2014112090
19 Joylord Gumbie 201411000
20 Brandon Mavuta 2015-2016103070
21 Liam Roche 201720020
22 Jonathan Connolly 201731020
23 Ryan Murray 201710010
Grand total113300830

ICC Trophy

The ICC Trophy is the leading one-day tournament from non-Test teams, and Zimbabwe participated in the tournament before they gained Test status in 1992. Two cricketers captained Zimbabwe in the ICC Trophy.

NumberNameTrophy [nb 1] PlayedWonTiedLostNo resultNote(s)
1 Duncan Fletcher 1982 77000Winners
2 David Houghton 1986 88000Winners
1990 88000Winners
Grand total2323000

Notes

  1. 1 2 3 Cricket seasons are generally referred to using the summer in which matches are played. Hence a Northern Hemisphere season is encapsulated in a single year (e.g. 1986) while a Southern Hemisphere season spans two years (e.g. 1986/87).

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References

General
Specific
  1. "Pakistan v Zimbabwe, 1st Test, Peshawar". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 17 October 2009.
  2. "Players and Officials – Alistair Campbell". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 8 February 2008.
  3. "Probe clears Zimbabwe over racism". BBC Sport. 17 October 2004. Retrieved 28 October 2009.
  4. "Zimbabwe revokes 2006 Test status". BBC Sport. 18 January 2006. Retrieved 17 October 2009.
  5. "Cricinfo – Brown eyes Zimbabwe Test return". ESPNcricinfo. Retrieved 8 February 2008.
  6. "Zimbabwe confident of Test return". BBC Sport. 10 October 2009. Retrieved 17 October 2009.