Zimbabwe Cricket Board Suspends Wesley Madhevere and Brandon Mavuta For Recreational Drug Abuse

In a recent development, the Zimbabwe Cricket Board has suspended 2 of its players for breaching Anti-Doping rules. The 2 players namely, Wesley Madhevere and Brandon Mavuta, both All-Rounders were found to be guilty of using a Banned recreational substance in an Anti-doping test conducted by the Zimbabwe Cricket Board.

It is being said that neither of the players were aware of any such Anti-doping test which took place after the 3rd ODI between Zimbabwe and Ireland on December 17. Zimbabwe were hosting Ireland at home to play 3 T20Is and 3 ODIs that started on December 7 and concluded on the 17th.

The hosts after winning the first T20 at Harare Sports Club, went on to lose the T20 series by 2-1. Then it was time for the ODI series with the 1st ODI on December 13 coming out with no result. The following 2 ODIs were won by Ireland by 4 wickets and 7 wickets respectively to hand Zimbabwe a very disappointing end to 2023.

And as Zimbabwe was recovering from embarrassment, the infringement of rules by Brandon Mavuta and Wesley Madhevere added further tension within the dressing room. The former was a part of the team that played against Ireland whereas the latter was left out of the squad entirely.

Brandon Mavuta, a 26-year-old All-Rounder has played 26 International matches for Zimbabwe, picking up 26 wickets and scoring 231 runs. Wesley Madhevere on the other hand has played 98 matches, scored 1752 runs, and has 145 wickets to his name in ODIs, Tests, and T20Is.

Brandon Mavuta and Wesley Madhevere Handed With Indefinite Bans on Anti-Doping Probe

As a result of Mavuta and Madhevere’s activity, the Zimbabwe Cricket Board has handed the duo an indefinite ban which may or may not be lifted following a hearing of the same. Both of them will not be able to take part in any cricketing action in the country until the hearings take place.

“Both tested positive for a banned recreational drug in an out-of-competition case recorded during a recent in-house doping test.” – ZBC said in a Press Release.

This development is going to tarnish the image of Zimbabwean cricket and it shows how low the country has fallen. During the Late 90s, Zimbabwe were among the most difficult sides to beat in Test cricket since becoming a recognized ICC member in 1981. However, the nation that once had the likes of Andy Flower, Grant Flower, Heath Streak, Andy Pycroft, Henry Olonga, and Duncan Fletcher, is now looming in the shadows.

Their last Cricket World Cup appearance came during the 2015 CWC in Australia but they regularly feature in ICC T20 World Cups. During the 2022 T20 WC, Zimbabwe produced a major upset when they defeated Pakistan but results like these come once in a Blue moon for them.

Zimbabwe will be in action next month for a tour to Sri Lanka to play a 3-match ODI and T20I series.