Zimbabwe Cricket Team in the ODI World Cup
The Zimbabwe Cricket Team‘s journey in the ODI World Cup from 1983 to 2019 can be described as a mix of highs and lows. Zimbabwe made their World Cup debut in 1983 and showed promise early on with notable victories against solid teams like Australia and India. However, consistency remained challenging, and they struggled to […]
The Zimbabwe Cricket Team‘s journey in the ODI World Cup from 1983 to 2019 can be described as a mix of highs and lows. Zimbabwe made their World Cup debut in 1983 and showed promise early on with notable victories against solid teams like Australia and India. However, consistency remained challenging, and they struggled to progress beyond the group stages in most editions.
Throughout the years, the team showcased moments of brilliance but faced various obstacles, such as financial constraints, player disputes, and political instability, which affected their overall performance.
Despite these challenges, Zimbabwe had standout players like Andy Flower and Heath Streak, who significantly contributed to the team’s success. Here is a record of the Zimbabwe Cricket Team’s performance in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup from 1983 to 2019.
Zimbabwe Cricket Team in ODI World Cup Stats
The Zimbabwe Cricket Team was not an ICC member during the first two World Cups in 1975 and 1979. They made their debut in the 1983 edition of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and have played 58 World Cup matches since then. They have won 12 matches and lost 42 in the history of this tournament. Here is a complete win and loss record of the Zimbabwe Cricket Team in all the World Cup matches played till now.
| Year | Number of World Cup Matches Played | Won | Lost |
| Prudential World Cup 1983 | 6 | 1 | 5 |
| Reliance World Cup 1987 | 6 | 0 | 6 |
| Benson & Hedges World Cup 1992 | 8 | 1 | 7 |
| Wills World Cup 1996 | 6 | 1 | 4 |
| ICC World Cup 1999 | 8 | 3 | 4 |
| ICC World Cup 2003 | 9 | 3 | 5 |
| ICC World Cup 2007 | 3 | 0 | 2 |
| ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 | 6 | 2 | 4 |
| ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 | 6 | 1 | 5 |
Most Runs in ODI World Cup for the Zimbabwe Cricket Team
Andy Flower, one of the Zimbabwean players, has made the most runs for the Zimbabwe Cricket Team in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup till now. He scored 815 runs for the team and created the record for scoring the most World Cup runs for Zimbabwe in the World Cup. He played 30 matches from 1992 to 2003.
Here are the top 10 run scorers of the Zimbabwe Cricket Team in the ODI World Cup.
| Player | Span | Runs | Highest Score | 100s | 50s |
| A Flower | 1992-2003 | 815 | 115* | 1 | 4 |
| BRM Taylor | 2007-2015 | 690 | 138 | 2 | 3 |
| DL Houghton | 1983-1992 | 567 | 142 | 1 | 4 |
| GW Flower | 1996-2003 | 512 | 78* | – | 1 |
| SC Williams | 2007-2015 | 492 | 96 | – | 5 |
| AC Waller | 1987-1996 | 479 | 83* | – | 2 |
| CR Ervine | 2011-2015 | 390 | 85 | – | 4 |
| NC Johnson | 1999-1999 | 367 | 132* | 1 | 3 |
| HH Streak | 1996-2003 | 328 | 72* | – | 1 |
| T Taibu | 2003-2011 | 306 | 98 | – | 3 |
Highest Score in World Cup for The Zimbabwe Cricket Team
Craig Wishart has made the highest score in the ICC Cricket World Cup for the Zimbabwe Cricket Team. This talent from Zimbabwe was an opening batter and made 172 runs in 151 balls against the Namibian Cricket Team in the 2003 edition of the World Cup. He even stayed not out at the end of this innings. In this magnificent match, he hit 18 boundaries and 3 sixes at a batting strike rate of 113.90.
Here are the top 10 Zimbabwe Cricket Team players who have scored the highest for the team in the ICC Cricket World Cup.
| Player | Score | Balls | Opponent | 4s | 6s | Year |
| CB Wishart | 172* | 151 | v Namibia | 18 | 3 | 10 Feb 2003 |
| DL Houghton | 142 | 137 | v New Zealand | 13 | 6 | 10 Oct 1987 |
| BRM Taylor | 138 | 110 | v India | 15 | 5 | 14 Mar 2015 |
| NC Johnson | 132* | 144 | v Australia | 14 | 2 | 09 Jun 1999 |
| BRM Taylor | 121 | 91 | v Ireland | 11 | 4 | 07 Mar 2015 |
| A Flower | 115* | 152 | v Sri Lanka | 8 | 1 | 23 Feb 1992 |
| T Taibu | 98 | 99 | v Canada | 9 | – | 28 Feb 2011 |
| SC Williams | 96 | 83 | v Ireland | 7 | 2 | 07 Mar 2015 |
| CR Ervine | 85 | 81 | v Canada | 6 | 2 | 28 Feb 2011 |
| DL Houghton | 84 | 108 | v Australia | 9 | 1 | 16 Jun 1983 |
Most 50s in World Cup for the Zimbabwe Cricket Team
Sean Williams made the most half-centuries in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup for the Zimbabwe Cricket World Cup. He made 5 half-centuries and 492 runs for the team on the World Cup platform from 2007 to 2015. Here are the top 10 players of the Zimbabwe Cricket Team who have made the most half-centuries in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
| Player | Span | Matches | 50 | 50+ | Runs |
| SC Williams | 2007-2015 | 11 | 5 | 5 | 492 |
| BRM Taylor | 2007-2015 | 15 | 3 | 5 | 690 |
| DL Houghton | 1983-1992 | 20 | 4 | 5 | 567 |
| A Flower | 1992-2003 | 30 | 4 | 5 | 815 |
| NC Johnson | 1999-1999 | 8 | 3 | 4 | 367 |
| CR Ervine | 2011-2015 | 12 | 4 | 4 | 390 |
| KJ Arnott | 1987-1992 | 9 | 3 | 3 | 206 |
| T Taibu | 2003-2011 | 14 | 3 | 3 | 306 |
| V Sibanda | 2007-2011 | 5 | 2 | 2 | 134 |
| AM Blignaut | 2003-2003 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 123 |
Most 100s in World Cup for the Zimbabwe Cricket Team
Brendan Taylor has made the most centuries for the Zimbabwe Cricket Team in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup history. He has made 2 centuries on the World Cup stage from 2007 to 2015.
Here are the stats of the players from the Zimbabwe Cricket Team who have made the most number of centuries in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
| Player | Span | Matches | Centuries | Runs |
| BRM Taylor | 2007-2015 | 15 | 2 | 690 |
| CB Wishart | 2003-2003 | 8 | 1 | 293 |
| NC Johnson | 1999-1999 | 8 | 1 | 367 |
| DL Houghton | 1983-1992 | 20 | 1 | 567 |
| A Flower | 1992-2003 | 30 | 1 | 815 |
Most Wickets in World Cup for the Zimbabwe Cricket Team
Heath Streak was one of the greatest bowlers of the Zimbabwe Cricket Team. He proved his excellence by making a record for taking the most wickets for the Zimbabwe Cricket Team in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. With his fantastic bowling, he took 22 wickets in his ODI World Cup from 1996 to 2003.
Here are the top 10 wicket-takers of the Zimbabwe Cricket Team in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
| Player | Span | Matches | Wickets | Economy |
| HH Streak | 1996-2003 | 22 | 22 | 4.59 |
| EA Brandes | 1987-1999 | 16 | 16 | 4.96 |
| AJ Traicos | 1983-1992 | 20 | 16 | 3.57 |
| PA Strang | 1996-1999 | 12 | 15 | 4.47 |
| NC Johnson | 1999-1999 | 8 | 12 | 4.66 |
| PWE Rawson | 1983-1987 | 10 | 12 | 4.48 |
| IP Butchart | 1983-1992 | 17 | 12 | 5.47 |
| CB Mpofu | 2007-2011 | 7 | 11 | 5.8 |
| GJ Whittall | 1996-2003 | 20 | 11 | 4.98 |
| AH Omarshah | 1983-1992 | 16 | 11 | 4.36 |
Best Bowling Figures in an Inning in the World Cup for the Zimbabwe Cricket Team
Paul Strang holds the record for having the best bowling figure for the Zimbabwe Cricket Team in the ICC Cricket World Cup till now. He took 5 wickets against the Kenya Cricket Team in the 1996 edition of the World Cup while sparing only 21 runs in 9.4 overs.
Here are the top 10 wicket-takers of the Zimbabwe Cricket Team in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
| Player | Overs | Wickets | Runs | Opposition | Year |
| PA Strang | 9.4 | 5 | 21 | v Kenya | 27 Feb 1996 |
| EA Brandes | 10 | 4 | 21 | v England | 18 Mar 1992 |
| PA Strang | 7.3 | 4 | 40 | v West Indies | 16 Feb 1996 |
| DAG Fletcher | 11 | 4 | 42 | v Australia | 09 Jun 1983 |
| NC Johnson | 10 | 4 | 42 | v Kenya | 15 May 1999 |
| CB Mpofu | 7 | 4 | 62 | v Sri Lanka | 10 Mar 2011 |
| RW Price | 8 | 3 | 16 | v Canada | 28 Feb 2011 |
| HK Olonga | 4 | 3 | 22 | v India | 19 May 1999 |
| NC Johnson | 8 | 3 | 27 | v South Africa | 29 May 1999 |
| AG Cremer | 9.1 | 3 | 31 | v Canada | 28 Feb 2011 |
Best Bowling Average in the World Cup for the Zimbabwe Cricket Team
Ray Price has had the best bowling average for the Zimbabwe Cricket Team in the ICC Cricket World Cup till now. He had an average of 18.77 for 49.0 overs. Price played in the 2011 edition of the World Cup only for the team and spared 169 runs to his opponents while taking 9 wickets.
Here are the top 10 bowlers of the Zimbabwe Cricket Team with the best bowling average for the team in the ICC World Cup till now.
| Player | Matches | Average | Wickets | Economy | Runs Spared |
| RW Price | 6 | 18.77 | 9 | 3.44 | 169 |
| DL Houghton | 20 | 19 | 1 | 9.5 | 19 |
| NC Johnson | 8 | 19.41 | 12 | 4.66 | 233 |
| GB Brent | 2 | 21.6 | 5 | 5.4 | 108 |
| BC Strang | 4 | 22 | 3 | 3.66 | 66 |
| PA Strang | 12 | 25.86 | 15 | 4.47 | 388 |
| BA Murphy | 5 | 27.8 | 5 | 4.63 | 139 |
| HK Olonga | 9 | 28.77 | 9 | 5.97 | 259 |
| SM Ervine | 3 | 29 | 3 | 7.25 | 87 |
| CB Mpofu | 7 | 29.54 | 11 | 5.8 | 325 |
Zimbabwe Cricket Team Performance in ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Stats
Zimbabwe made their World Cup debut in 1983. Since then, they have always been in the Group Stages and have never qualified for the tournament’s quarter-finals. Here is a complete performance stat of the Zimbabwe Cricket Team in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup till now.
| World Cup Year | Team’s Performance |
| Prudential World Cup 1983 | Group Stage (4th in Group B) |
| Reliance World Cup 1987 | Group Stage (4th in Group A) |
| Benson & Hedges World Cup 1992 | Group Stage (9th Position) |
| Wills World Cup 1996 | Group Stage (5th in Group A) |
| ICC World Cup 1999 | Group Stage (5th in Super 6) |
| ICC World Cup 2003 | Group Stage (6th in Super 6) |
| ICC World Cup 2007 | Group Stage (4th in Group D) |
| ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 | Group Stage (5th in Group A) |
| ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 | Group Stage (6th in Group B) |
Frequently Asked Questions About The Zimbabwe Cricket Team in ODI World Cup
Q1. Who did Zimbabwe play their first World Cup match against?
Ans: The Zimbabwe Cricket Team played the first World Cup match during the 1983 edition of the tournament against the Australian Cricket Team. Zimbabwe emerged victorious against the Aussies by 13 run margin on 9th June 1983.
Q2. Who has won the most Zimbabwe Team wickets in the World Cup?
Ans: Heath Streak has taken the most wickets for the Zimbabwe Cricket Team in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. He took 22 wickets in 22 matches from 1996 to 2003.
Q3. Who has made the most runs for the Zimbabwe Cricket Team in the World Cup?
Ans: Andy Flower holds the record for making the most runs for the Zimbabwe Cricket Team in the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup. He made 815 runs in 30 World Cup matches.
