Zimbabwe aiming for upset in Canada

Walter Chawaguta, Zimbabwe's coach, hopes his side can pull off an upset win during the Canada Cup Four Nation 20/20 in October. An unfancied Zimbabwe side had defeated Australia during the World Twenty20 last year, and Chawaguta was aiming for a win against Pakistan or Sri Lanka in addition to beating hosts Canada.

"In Canada, I have no doubt we will beat Canada but we would love to beat one of the top sides Sri Lanka and Pakistan" he told the Sunday News. "We have posted a shock victory in Twenty20 cricket before and it is possible to beat Pakistan or Sri Lanka. I will be happy to win two of the three matches."

Zimbabwe, who replaced West Indies for the Canada Twenty20 event, will then travel to Kenya for a triangular tournament featuring the hosts and Ireland, both Associate members of the ICC. Zimbabwe are ranked one place below Ireland in the ICC rankings, but Chawaguta, who took over as coach from Robin Brown in August, expected his team to win the tournament.

Ireland had held Zimbabwe, then coached by Kevin Curran, to a tie during the 2007 World Cup in the West Indies. Forty-four of Zimbabwe's players have been preparing for the upcoming tours, with practice games being held in Harare. Zimbabwe leave for Canada on October 8. Their three league games are scheduled for the 10th, 11th and 12th, with the final on the 13th. They depart for Kenya on the 15th and will play two stages in the round-robin league, with the top two teams qualifying for the final.