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Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
THE stage was set for an exciting showdown as Zimbabwe’s cricket team took on the Netherlands in the final match of the One Day International (ODI) series. The Harare Sports Club was buzzing with excitement as fans poured in to rally behind their beloved Chevrons.

As the players took to the field, the roar of the crowd was deafening. It seemed like the whole of Zimbabwe had turned out to support their team. The Netherlands put up a valiant fight, but it was no match for the Chevrons, who made light work of their opponents to win the series 2-1.

This was just the latest in a string of international cricket matches that had been recording huge numbers in fan attendance.

The Bulawayo Metropolitan Cricket Association (BMCA) Chairperson, Godwin Dube, weighed in on what he thought was behind the massive turnout. According to Dube, Zimbabwe’s form in international cricket was one of the key factors behind the rise in follower-ship and filling up of stadia.

“The purple patch being experienced by our national teams on the international stage. Our senior national teams have done fairly well in the last 13 months, the teams have shown a lot of fight even against the traditional powerhouses leading to more optimism and inspiration to the populace. This has made more people want to associate with cricket,” he said.

Dube also credited the increase in attendance to the fact that a good amount of cricket had been played in the country over the last few years. So far this year, three teams have toured the country, including a Test tour which took place at Queens Sports Club against the West Indies in February.

This had made it easier to market and associate with the game, leading to a good positive vibe among all cricket stakeholders, and more people falling in love with the sport as a result.

“A good amount of cricket has also been played in the last few years hence it has become easier to market and associate with the game. This has led to a good positive vibe among all cricket stakeholders, more people have fallen in love as a result,” he said.

Zimbabwe Cricket fans at Harare Sports Club

Cricket is known as the gentlemen’s game, and it attracts families to come and enjoy the game without any hassles. The non-violent environment plays a part in attracting many people to the stadiums as it is almost unexpected to experience violence in stadiums.

Social media has also played a significant role in increasing interest in the sport. With more than three billion people connected to social networks around the world, cricket in Zimbabwe is one sport that has been talked about the most on social media.

The Zimbabwe Cricket application has made it easy for people to track and follow games, leading to increased interest in the sport.

“A lot has been done to market the game games, the use of social media, influencers and increased articles in traditional print media has all played a big part. In Bulawayo alone, there are more than 10 groups that I have come across, former and current players are active in these groups. The amount of cricket discussions is almost addictive and it is rare to miss any cricket activity or story happening in the country.

Zimbabwe Cricket fans

“The Zimbabwe Cricket App has also made it possible to track and keep in touch with all cricket being played in the four corners of the country hence fans are able to track the progress of all players and competitions,” said Dube.

The inactivity of other popular sports such as football and rugby has also been beneficial to the increased popularity of cricket.

As Zimbabwe prepares to host the 2023 ODI World Cup Qualifiers in June, the numbers of fans in cricket stadiums are likely to increase, and the excitement is palpable.

The Chevrons are set to take the cricketing world by storm, and Zimbabwe’s love for the sport is only going to grow stronger. — @brandon_malvin