Indians, Pakistanis keen to play for Zim

[rrodney101]

While I was perusing a local newspaper recently , I came across a rather unusual article.The short version of the story goes ..

Mr. Darlington Majonga ,the media manager at ZC has received numerous emails from young Indians & Pakistanis who apparently want to play for Zimbabwe.Mr Majonga has responded , saying there's enough talent in country as it is.It is speculated that these boys are chancers who want take advantage of the sinking ship that Zim cricket.

Here's what I think : ok , these guys could be a bunch of potheads poking fun at us for  our misfortunes on the cricket field.It's suspicious that their emails are being received on a daily basis , it's a strange and certainly an unsettling pattern of events.
On the other hand , the said young boys (assuming they exist and are truthful) could be ambitious & energetic individuals who've been denied a chance in their respective countries where player pools are deep & competition stiff in which case ,I say fly them in (with the consent of their countries of course) and throw them into our domestic league ,2 players for each franchise.I have no idea what laws are in place with regards to whether they can ever represent Zimbabwe but their presence and assumed hunger for success in the domestic setup will no doubt give our otherwise tired & uninspiring players a run for their money.

Thoughts?

[Detective RDS]

http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/80 ... babwe-team

Young Indians, Pakistanis eye spot in Zimbabwe team
Harare, by Prakash Govindasreenivasan • Last updated on Wednesday, 22 June, 2016, 01:51 PM
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Zimbabwe cricket is viewed as an opportunity for those who have doors closed in their home countries
Zimbabwe cricket is viewed as an opportunity for those who have doors closed in their home countries © Getty
As Zimbabwean cricket continues to grapple with a plethora of issues, including the lack of a sound domestic structure like they had in the past, there are 'requests' pouring in from across the globe. Emails from 20-somethings clog the mailbox of Darlington Majonga, the media manager of Zimbabwe Cricket, on a daily basis, each carrying a common theme - a plea for an opportunity to play for Zimbabwe's national side.

"For the national team, mainly it's from India, and a few from Pakistan," Darlington told cricbuzz. "I haven't replied to anyone. It's not for me to decide. We are looking to develop our own players here. We believe we have enough talent."

It is a long-established fact that fulfilling the dream of being a professional cricketer in either of the two Asian nations is no mean feat. Besides the sweat shed on the field and sacrifices made on a daily basis, the need to be able to perform at the right time with negligible margin for error makes auditioning for India an arduous task.

To put the competition levels in perspective - the members of the Indian squad that has travelled to Zimbabwe and won all but one fixture so far isn't guaranteed a direct ticket to the main team. For the youngsters like KL Rahul and Barinder Sran, notable performances has perhaps only helped them go a little higher in the pecking order. They've taken a giant stride forward, but will need more such tours to grab their spot in the main XI.

While Darlington's stance is justified, it is interesting to see that these young aspiring cricketers view Zimbabwe as greener pastures. Problem of politics and caste system, unrelenting competition and even the lack of riches back home, are some of the reasons stated by them for making the outlandish request. Most hail from remote areas and see no clear route-map to their destination. The current, bleak state of Zimbabwe cricket perhaps, pushes these boys to try their luck and leave no stone unturned in pursuing their dreams. Full marks for the effort, certainly!

© Cricbuzz

[Detective RDS]

http://indianexpress.com/article/sports ... e-2868244/

Zimbabwe, their Cape of Good Hope
Several frustrated Asian cricketers have sought the rife-ridden African nation to realise international dream.
Written by Bharat Sundaresan | Harare | Updated: June 22, 2016 10:15 am

ON AN average, Darlington Majonga receives half-a-dozen mails of the kind every week. The theme’s always the same. The sender claims to be an amateur cricketer with talent but no opportunity in his respective home country, and wants to represent Zimbabwe at the international level instead. According to Majonga public relations and media manager of Zimbabwe Cricket though, the arbitrary job applications read more like desperate pleas to him. And despite at times being moved by the despairing but not unconditional keenness of these literally anonymous foreigners to don Zimbabwean colours, all he can do is laugh them off.
It’s not just Majonga who has to deal with these peculiar inquiries though. Sikander Raza’s mailbox is never short of them either. The 30-year-old right-hander is a pioneer of sorts, having emigrated from Pakistan — he was born in Sialkot and did all his schooling there to Zimbabwe with his family at the turn of the century. And it’s not surprising that many of his countrymen in particular sound excited about walking in his footsteps and emulating his feat.
“I am flooded with these emails,” he says almost like a lament before adding, “They all want to know how I made it through, and what they need to do to come here and play for Zimbabwe.” He explains that the rule of the land states that any aspiring Zimbabwean has to spend a minimum of 10 years in the country before being applicable for permanent residency. Raza’s family moved to Zimbabwe in 2002, and he himself only settled here after finishing his studies in Europe. “I try explaining it to them, but they simply don’t listen. They then ask me to put in a word or use my influence, but I tell them that even the President of Zimbabwe can’t help them if they don’t fulfil the residency qualifications and stay here for 10 years,” he explains, adding that while he does get some calls from other parts of the world, it’s generally those of Asian origin.
Most of these aspiring Zimbabwean cricketers insist on the stiff competition that exists in their respective homelands halting their progress and that they wish to fulfil their dream of playing international cricket via this unprecedented route. And it is understandable that for someone playing league cricket in the north of India or in the hotbed of Pakistan cricket, donning his national team’s colours seems like an unrealistic goal.
It is also a sign, however, of how far Zimbabwean cricket has plummeted that these self-confessed aspirants from far-flung lands think all they need to do to play for their team is ask for permission. Not surprisingly, most applicants insist on being good with both bat and ball and also of having played cricket at a decent level for a sizable period of time. “There have always been constant inquiries coming in about people wanting to play for Zimbabwe. But I’ve certainly seen a rise in them since the World T20. Maybe there are more people out there who think we need their help,” says Majonga.
“They are mostly guys from India or Pakistan. But I also once received a mail from an Indian claiming to be based in Italy and still wanting to play for Zimbabwe,” he quips.
One of the emails comes from a youngster from the Siwan district in Bihar, who laments about his state not having a recognized cricket association, which is thwarting his dream of playing on the ‘big stage’. The other complaints put forth commonly refer to the old issues of selection based on influence and even bribes. “Sir, i want to tell you that here in pakistan every thing in every field you can get the required job on reference and bribe . and sir i dont have any of the above two. i want to play from your country side would you please sir give me a chance,” reads one mail that Majonga has received this week.
In another one, the writer speaks of how his cricket career has been bogged down by the caste discrimination in India and how he wishes for Zimbabwe to accept not just him but all other young cricketers from the country who struggle with the politics involved in the sport. “I am playing 7yr in cricket expereince and so many club matches and league matches i’m played..But all waste sir. because in india there is no chance for next level for my dream.because so many politics and lots of caste problem sir!! Then how will i reach my goal sir!,” it reads. Meanwhile, according to the ICC’s core qualification criteria in this regard, a player has to be either born in the relevant country or be ‘able to demonstrate by possession of a valid passport issued by the relevant country that he’s a national’. “At times it’s tough to explain it to these people. They all seem ready to go to any distance to make this happen as they realize the competition is so stiff back home, but there’s little any of us can do about it,” says Raza.
With Zimbabwe cricket struggling to stem their slide and the light at the end of the tunnel only getting bleaker, it’s unlikely that neither Majonga nor Raza will stop having to contend with these indecent proposals anytime soon.
Dear sir… to play for Zimbabwe

From:nnnnnnRathore [mailto:tr nnnnnn 96@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, June 15,
2016 12:37 PM
To: info@zimcricket.org
Subject: Request
Hello sir this is nnnnnn Rathore 23yrs old from India left handed batsman and right arm bowler , sir I want to play for Zimbabwe cricket I m a good all-rounder and I still struggling in cricket because I m not richest persons son. i’ll make u r team strong sir please give me a chance to prove

From:nnnnnnBhardwaj[mailto:theemperor2000bc@gmail.com]
Sent: Monday, June 13, 2016 11:14 AM
To: info@zimcricket.org
Subject: To play for Zimbabwe
Dear Sir/Mam,
I am nnnnnn Bhardwaj from siwan district of Bihar. We have our cricket team of siwan district and we play consistently for our district since 2007. But we don’t get any chance to play on big stage as our Bihar Cricket Association is not registered. Is it possible that we can play for your country. If yes, then can you please share the procedure.

From: nnnnnn Ali [mailto:nnnnnn ali691@gmail.com]
Sent: Saturday, March 12,
2016 7:14 AM
To: info@zimcricket.org
Subject: apply as player
dear sir , how r u my name is ali and i from pakistan sir i want to tell you that here in pakistan every thing in every field you can get the required job on reference and bribe. and sir i dont have any of the above two. i want to play from your country side.

From: nnnnnn [mailto:nnnnnn iiui7@gmail.com]
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2016 8:51 AM
To: info@zimcricket.org
Subject: nnnnnn Ali
Dear Sir,
My name is nnnnnn Ali. I live in Pakistan. I am a Fast Bowler. But in Pakistan I have not give a chance for play cricket. I want to Play Cricket in Zimbabwe Cricket team. Give me a chance for trail in Zimbabwe and look my abilities.
Regards
Muhammad nnnnnn ali

[Googly]

Just imagine the side you could have here if you made a plan to naturalise some of the top South African players that are being denied opportunities in the rainbow nation? We might be World 2 or 3 in all formats. It would be a whole heap more fun pretending they were Zimbabweans than our lot coming stone last every time.

[watermelon]

Just imagine the side you could have here if you made a plan to naturalise some of the top South African players that are being denied opportunities in the rainbow nation? We might be World 2 or 3 in all formats. It would be a whole heap more fun pretending they were Zimbabweans than our lot coming stone last every time.

That may work for England, but not for the great nation of Zimbabwe. The blood of the liberation was not spilled just to have a bunch of mercenaries come in and wear the red, particularly not the new kit I had a hand in. Zimbabwe has the talent to compete, but forces are at play, both domestic and international, to prevent us being successful.

-watermelon.

[Flakeman]

Watermelon is definately Mangongo

[zimlover]

This is an insult to our players to have kids from other countries requesting to play for Zim

Just imagine the side you could have here if you made a plan to naturalise some of the top South African players that are being denied opportunities in the rainbow nation? We might be World 2 or 3 in all formats. It would be a whole heap more fun pretending they were Zimbabweans than our lot coming stone last every time.

That may work for England, but not for the great nation of Zimbabwe. The blood of the liberation was not spilled just to have a bunch of mercenaries come in and wear the red, particularly not the new kit I had a hand in. Zimbabwe has the talent to compete, but forces are at play, both domestic and international, to prevent us being successful.

-watermelon.

What forces are at play here stopping the team from competing ?

[ZIMDOGGY]

It won't happen.

These kids won't really go the distance that's required. They don't understand the 4 year process.

That said, specifically in Zimbabwe it's a TEN year process. It's an order from Mugabe himself to stop insincere mercenaries.

Source? A conversation with one Sikandar Raza.

[zimlover]

The easiest and quick way is to marry a zimbabwean girl and then stay i the country for 2 years and its all done you can get a passport straight away so if they serious they need to stop asking quetsion and just come to zim and marry a girl stay 2 years and you can claim a zim passport .

[Googly]

I was only joking, although something odd happened when a Butt once played for u18 when he shouldn't have, in order to qualify for the Pakistani Academy.
Most of the posts on this forum are all about insulting the various players from what I see. I try and avoid that, I was more having a go at the SA policies which are mirroring ours, yet expecting a different result.