Zimbabwe's cricket team was at its best in the 90s and early 2000s. Today it is barely known for its cricket, but there was a time when the Minnows produced some of the finest cricketing talents. They defeated every test-playing country, including Australia, India, England, and many more. Zimbabwe's cricket history consists of some rich talent, so we bring to you the top 10 Zimbabwe Cricketers of all time.
1. Andy Flower
One of the game legends, Andy Flower, was an exceptional wicket-keeper batsman with more than 300 dismissals under his belt. He registered 16,379 runs in 223 first-class matches with an above par average of 54.05, comprising 49 tons and 75 half-centuries. Flower scored 4794 runs in 63 tests with a prodigious average of 51.55. One of his recognized innings is when he scored 540 runs against India in 2001, including his career-best score of 232. Andy also spoke up against the vicious political structure of the country and the selection board.
2. Brendon Taylor
A gifted striker, Brendon Taylor, burst onto the scene in 2004 and scored more than 8000 runs for Zimbabwe, consisting of 12 centuries and 49 half-centuries. He was statistically one of the prolific players with the highest centuries for Zimbabwe. Be it Australia's hard pitch or Sri Lanka's pivoting pitch; he would never fail to deliver until he announced his prompt retirement in 2015 and joined Nottinghamshire.
3. Heath Streak
The only Zimbabwean bowler to grab 100 test wickets, Streak's outswinger completely routed the batsmen. He announced his arrival in Test cricket by taking 22 wickets in 3 tests against Pakistan and became the most successful bowler. He took 216 wickets in 65 tests with an average of 28.14 and smashed 11 centuries; in 189 ODIs, he registered 239 doors and 13 half-centuries. His ability to bat down the order made him an asset to the team.
4. Tatenda Taibu
Tatenda Taibu is a dynamic batsman with over 5000 runs under his belt, comprising three centuries and 34 half-centuries. He once held the record of being the youngest test captain at 21 until Rashid Khan burst onto the scene. Taibu's attacking game and potential to bat against List A teams made him the team's star. However, Taibu did not have a fairytale start; after failing to exhibit his batting potential in initial games, he scored some crackling runs against List A teams in the 2003 World cup. He bid farewell to the game in 2019 after playing some memorable innings for his team.
5. David Houghton
Another splendid wicket-keeper batsman from Zimbabwe, David Houghton, is accountable for scoring the highest test score as a Zimbabwean batsman, i.e., 266, and never getting out on a duck in the red-ball cricket. He scored 1464 runs in 22 test matches with an average of 43.05 and 1530 runs in 63 ODIs. It only took him 24 innings to reach the milestone of scoring 1000 runs. His career's best ODI score, i.e., 142, came against New Zealand in Reliance Cup, featuring six sixes and 14 fours.
6. Grant Flower
Elder brother of Andy Flower, Grant Flower was a middle-order batsman known for weaving formidable partnerships with his brother, which earned them a title of the "flower power." Playing against Pakistan always got the best out of him. Since he scored runs at an average of 40 and even scored three centuries and a splendid 201 against the side, apart from his stroke play and exceptional fielding, his bowling skills came in handy, making him an integral part of the team. In a career spanning 18 years, Flower scored 6,571 runs in the ODIs and 3,457 runs in red-ball cricket and became one of the few Zimbabwean cricketers to have registered over 10,000 runs.
7. Alistair Campbell
Alistair Campbell debuted at the age of 19. However, he was sent back to the nets because of his dismal performance. He made a staggering comeback and became one of the mainstays of the Zimbabwean batting lineup. Campbell believed in dominating from the front and going all out while batting; in a career spanning 11 years, he scored over 8000 runs and went down as the most successful captain. The team won its first away series against Pakistan under his leadership.
8. Henry Olonga
Olonga was the first black person, also the youngest to represent Zimbabwe in cricket. He was one of the fastest bowlers in the international arena. However, his action gets subjected to scrutiny. He announced his arrival in the ODIs by clenching five wickets in his debut match and soon became the mainstay of Zimbabwe's bowling squad; he took 126 wickets in his brief career of six years. He saw wearing a black armband during the 2003 world cup to raise his voice against the death of democracy.
9. Neil Johnson
Neil Johnson is a former Zimbabwean all-rounder who showed up during the crisis. He earned three 'man of the match' titles during the 1999 World Cup and helped Zimbabwe qualify for the Super Six stage. His blistering 100 against Pakistan helped Zimbabwe register its first test series win. Johnson over two thousand runs and clinched 50 wickets in a brief career spanning three years.
10. Duncan Fletcher
Duncan Fletcher is a former Zimbabwean cricketer who also coached the Indian and English cricket teams. Regarded as one of the most successful captains, Fletcher took Zimbabwe cricket to heights. All came under Fletcher's leadership, from winning away series against Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, and West Indies to whitewashing New Zealand. In his brief international career, he played 6 ODIs scoring 191 runs and taking seven wickets.
