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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
PROPHET Blessing Chiza of Eagle Life Ministries has predicted 2016 to be a good year for Zimbabwe Cricket.

Chiza believes the cricket prophecy is real and that Zimbabwe Cricket will fly the country’s flag high.

The national team has been pathetic, losing to associate members.

They are 1-2 down to Afghanistan in a five One day International series underway in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

Chiza delivered the Zimbabwe Cricket prophecy two days after the national team had disappointingly lost their second ODI to Afghanistan by four wickets with four balls to spare. Zimbabwe’s first defeat to Afghanistan was on Christmas Day when they were beaten by 29 runs.

On Saturday, two days after Chiza’s prophecy Zimbabwe beat Afghanistan by 117 runs, keeping the series alive as they now need to win today so that the winner is declared on Wednesday.

“It’s our turnaround year and the cricket team will start to excel. It’s an open prophecy which means there are no conditions because in the spirit I don’t see juju in cricket. Cricket shall be a sport that will put Zimbabwe on the map in 2016. It (national team) shall excel even during the ICC World Cup. They are going to be a household name especially in Asia and the Middle East. I see Zimbabwe Cricket becoming a force to reckon with because now God’s favour is on them,” said Chiza.

The ICC Twenty20 World Cup runs from March 8 to April 3 in India.

To reach the second round, Zimbabwe will have to emerge as Group B winners in the first round which they have been drawn with Scotland, Hong Kong and Afghanistan.

Should they qualify to the second round, Zimbabwe will face Sri Lanka, South Africa, West Indies and England.

Chiza has put himself under spotlight with this cricket prophecy and should it come to pass, he will be exonerated from the past prophecies he made on Highlanders and Warriors two years ago.

Preaching at the 2015-16 Crossover service held at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair grounds on December 31, Chiza said unlike the prophecies he made on Highlanders and the national football team that didn’t come to fruition, the ZC prophecy has no conditions.

On New Year’s Eve of 2014, the Thorngrove-based Eagle Life Assembly leader foretold a league title success for the Bulawayo giants Highlanders, saying high scoring goals would be frequent, with rival goalkeepers seeing fire and smoke.

However, high-scoring results for Bosso that season were not many with their biggest win coming in the first half of the season when they beat Caps United 4-0.

During the December 31, 2013 sermon where he foretold of Bosso’s success Chiza said; “The team must never use juju in God’s season but pray and worship Jesus Christ. As I pray to God I see Highlanders Football Club in the spirit lifting the 2014 League trophy, but there are three conditions they have to meet.”

In January 2014, Chiza admitted that he “didn’t see well” after raising the nation’s hopes that the Warriors were going to lift the Orange Africa Nations Championships (Chan) only to crash out 5-4 on penalties to Libya in the semi-finals.