Takashinga Cricket Club is a cricket club in Highfield, Harare. Some of its famous members include Andy Flower and Tatenda Taibu. The club's ground is located at the Zimbabwe grounds in the Highfield. As of 2007–08, it is one of the strongest cricket clubs in Zimbabwe.
History
The club was created in 1990 when Givemore Makoni and Stephen Mangongo decided they wanted to start a cricket club. The two looked for a place to call home, when after a long search, Churchill High School offered their facilities. Part of the arrangement, was that the club would be called Old Winstonians.
In 2001, the name was changed from Old Winstonians to Takashinga. By that point, a home base had been set up in the Highfields.[1] Bill Flower, father of Andy Flower supported the early members of Takashinga.[2][3] Givemore Makoni told Cricinfo, "We have changed the name to identify with ourselves and our community. We are a black club, and 'Winstonians' does not identify with us in any way. 'Takashinga' means we are brave and we will fight all the way. This symbolizes the black people of Zimbabwe who are no quitters at anything they set their mind on."
The cricket club was officially opened in 2003 by West Indian cricketer Brian Lara, whose team was on tour and using Takashinga as a practice venue. A plaque recognizing the moment was hung at the Takashinga's club house.[3]
International Cricket
Takashinga Cricket Club was one of the venues for the 2023 Cricket World Cup Qualifier.[4] All matches in the tournament had One Day International (ODI) status. Takashinga hosted its first ever ODI on 18 June 2023, when West Indies played USA in the second match of the Qualifier tournament.[5]
