The team was billed to travel to Dubai on Wednesday for two rounds of the Pro-50 competition, before they depart for New Zealand.
“The plans to prepare in Dubai have been aborted due to shortage of funds.” said Zimbabwe Cricket communications manager, Lovemore Banda. In New Zealand, Zimbabwe will play three games against teams in the Northern Districts before they get to play their two official warm-up matches against New Zealand on February 9 and Sri-Lanka, before the World Cup roars into life.
Zimbabwe failed in their bid to play any of the top teams ahead of the official ICC warm-up matches and only managed a home Series against Canada that involved a handful of their first team World Cup players.
The only other form of World Cup preparations they had at home was their players’ involvement in the franchise domestic programme, which has left critics arguing that the team would not proceed beyond the first round at the World Cup.
Zimbabwe are in the Group B with defending champions India, South Africa, the West Indies, Pakistan, Ireland, and the United Arab Emirates. The top four teams from the group qualify for the Super Eight stages.
They will begin their campaign against the Proteas of South Africa on February 14.
Post published in: Sport