HARARE – Dave Houghton, the head coach of the Zimbabwe cricket team, has tendered his resignation three weeks after the team failed to secure a spot in the 2024 ICC T20 World Cup.
Despite being the top-ranked side in the African qualification tournament, Zimbabwe could not secure a place in the prestigious event as Namibia and Uganda emerged as the top two contenders.
Houghton, who took over the coaching role in June last year, expressed that he felt he had “lost the changeroom” and believed that a “new voice” was necessary to lead the team forward.
His decision to step down came after the Chevrons’ recent defeat in an ODI series at home against Ireland, which the visitors won 2-0.
In response to Houghton’s resignation, Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) announced that the 66-year-old former Test captain would be reassigned to a new role within the organization.
Tavengwa Mukuhlani, the chairman of ZC, acknowledged Houghton’s contributions, stating, “Dave will always be a legend of our game.”
He also highlighted Houghton’s efforts over the past year to rebuild the team’s foundations for long-term success.
“While the past few months have been disappointing as we failed to qualify for both the 50-over World Cup and the T20 World Cup, they should not obscure all the work he has done,” said Mukuhlani.
“Dave leaves with our sincerest thanks for his tireless efforts, and we are looking forward to working with him in a different role as we seek to change our on-field fortunes.”
Under Houghton’s leadership, Zimbabwe qualified for the T20 World Cup in Australia last year, marking their first global tournament appearance in six years.
The team progressed to the Super 12 stage after securing victories over Ireland and Scotland in the initial rounds.
As Zimbabwe Cricket searches for a new coaching direction, an interim technical team will be appointed for the upcoming white-ball tour to Sri Lanka next month.
