Februrary 10, 2003
On paper it was a low key match – co-host Zimbabwe opening their 2003 World Cup campaign against Namibia at the Harare Sports Club. Yet, the atmosphere was charged with uncertainty and turmoil.
The Zimbabwean cricket authorities, along with the ruling Zanu-PF party, were on the edge about the handful of matches allocated to the country. There was every possibility of the opposition parties seizing the opportunity to demonstrate against Robert Mugabe’s regime with the world looking on.
It was with a sense of relief that February 10 was welcomed, with cricket action finally about to commence, taking the focus away from the atrocities in the nation which was by now openly run by the most deplorable third-world thugs.
However, just an hour before the start of play, ripples of rumour started doing rounds, leading to a furore in the dressing room and jolting the administration with a brutal shock. The leaders of the nation had been dealt a blow from within the national cricket team. Two of the senior-most cricketers of Zimbabwe, Andy Flower and Henry Olonga, conveyed their decision to issue a media statement and wear black armbands “to mourn the death of democracy in the country”.
The plan of action had been well thought out. The two had met in a café a month earlier and Flower had laid down his cards in front of Olonga. And, while both were fully aware of the consequences of such an action, the plight of the countrymen took precedence for the cricketers. Their joint statement summed it up eloquently.
It began … “It is a great honour for us to take the field today to play for Zimbabwe in the World Cup… We are however deeply distressed about what is taking place in Zimbabwe in the midst of the World Cup and do not feel that we can take the field without indicating our feelings in a dignified manner and in keeping with the spirit of cricket…”
And it proceeded to lay bare the evils plaguing the nation. Facts known to almost everyone but seldom voiced with this amount of bravura in front of an international audience:
“We cannot in good conscience take to the field and ignore the fact that millions of our compatriots are starving, unemployed and oppressed. We are aware that hundreds of thousands of Zimbabweans may even die in the coming months through a combination of starvation, poverty and Aids. We are aware that many people have been unjustly imprisoned and tortured simply for expressing their opinions about what is happening in the country. We have heard a torrent of racist hate speech directed at minority groups. We are aware that thousands of Zimbabweans are routinely denied their right to freedom of expression. We are aware that people have been murdered, raped, beaten and had their homes destroyed because of their beliefs and that many of those responsible have not been prosecuted. We are also aware that many patriotic Zimbabweans oppose us even playing in the World Cup because of what is happening.”
Finally it concluded with the plea: “In all the circumstances we have decided that we will each wear a black armband for the duration of the World Cup. In doing so we are mourning the death of democracy in our beloved Zimbabwe. In doing so we are making a silent plea to those responsible to stop the abuse of human rights in Zimbabwe. In doing so we pray that our small action may help to restore sanity and dignity to our Nation.”
The authorities were shell-shocked. Olonga and Flower were immediately confronted by Vince Hogg, the CEO of the Zimbabwe board. However, negotiations were futile. The two cricketers were not in a mood to back down. The official squirmed within the monumental constraints placed on him. It resulted in a deadlock. The decision had been made and there was no turning back.
Among their teammates, only Grant Flower, the brother of Andy, had been aware of their plans. The crowd got to know what was going on only in the 22nd over. At 107 for one, Andy Flower walked out to bat wearing a black armband. There were photographs which captured Olonga sporting his armband on the players’ balcony.
Both men were aware of the possible consequences. Olonga even voiced that the authorities knew where he lived and could take him out if they wanted to.
Their international careers ended soon enough, sacrificed for a far greater cause.
In the Daily Telegraph, Donald Trelford wrote that the two players “shine out like diamonds in a pile of mud”.
Text: Arunabha Sengupta
Illustration: Maha