We are here to win, says Chigumbura

RAWALPINDI: Zimbabwe all-rounder Elton Chigumbura said on Wednesday that the visitors are here to win rather than just compete against Pakistan.

While interacting with the media through video link, the former captain responded to a question from ‘The News’ by saying that they would be looking to win on the tour.

“We are here to win rather than just compete,” Chigumbura said. “Admitted, Pakistan have always been strong opponents at home but we plan to take the battle to the hosts. We know we have an opportunity to give our best and exploit Pakistan’s flaws. Remember, we have beaten Pakistan in the past. I hope we can do it again.”

He hoped batting pitches in Pakistan would back their campaign to get off to a solid start in an effort to directly qualify for the 2023 World Cup in India.

“This series is very important for us from a different perspective. We lost a good opportunity to qualify for the last World Cup. We are in no mood to take chances for the next World Cup. We want to directly qualify for it,” Chigumbura said.

“We will start the series as underdogs but we feel we can win it if we play to the best of our abilities. We will take one game at a time. Every game is important for us and Zimbabwe cricket from here to the 2023 World Cup.”

He tried to play down head coach Lalchand Rajput’s absence from the squad. Rajput, who is from India, opted out at the last moment due to the Indian government’s interference. “I think that will make no difference. We can still take his guidance online. He has already told us what to do and what not to do. We will follow his guideline,” he said.

Chigumbura said there was fear all around when under his captaincy Zimbabwe last visited Pakistan in 2015. “Everyone was scared at that time. The situation is totally different now. We are feeling at ease. The atmosphere for cricket is brilliant here and so is the weather, which is more or less the same as in Zimbabwe.”

To a question about his personal form, Chigumbura said he was at his best when he captained Zimbabwe in Pakistan five years ago. “I scored a century and then repeated that feat against India. Injuries then struck me and I missed action for almost a year. When I returned to competitive cricket, I again suffered an injury that required surgery.

“Now I am keenly looking forward to this series to get back into the groove. I have fully recovered from all injuries. I am happy to be back in the squad and want to enjoy every moment,” he said.

The former captain said the most important aspect of their preparation for the tour was acclimatizing to conditions. “We have had no cricket for the last seven months. Though we have trained, we want to get into our groove well before the start of the series,” Chigumbura said.