The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE national cricket team coach Heath Streak is delighted to be heading off to the Indian Premier League, this time around as the bowling coach of Kolkata Knight Riders.
For the third year in a row, the former Zimbabwe captain has a role to play in the most rewarding cricket league in the world. Streak penned a three-year deal with KKR last month.
A gap opened for him when KKR bowling coach, Lakshmipathy Balaji left for Chennai Super Kings.
“I signed for KKR a month ago, I have a three-year contract for IPL as bowling coach. I have been keeping in regular touch with KKR CEO, luckily for me their previous bowling coach went to Chennai Super Kings Balaji, so a slot opened there,’’ Streak said.
He is excited to be involved with KKR and is yearning to work with some of world’s best bowlers at the franchise. KKR have won the IPL title twice, having done so in 2012 and 2014.
“Not just to be involved with IPL, to work with a franchise of that calibre that has had massive success, I am honoured to be part of KKR. When you look at the bowlers I will be working with, Mitchell Starc, Piyush Chawla, Andre Russell, Kumar, Mitchell Johnson, Sunile Narine, Kuldeep Yadav its really exciting,’’ he said.
Streak is convinced that national team captain Graeme Cremer is unlucky not to be in the IPL as he is one of the best leg spinners in the world. Cremer, Brendan Taylor and Solomon Mire were some of the Zimbabwean players in the IPL auction.
Gujarat Lions were the first IPL franchise that Streak was involved with as he was their bowling coach in 2016 and 2017. Since Gujarat Lions had taken one of the slots of the suspended duo of Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, with the suspension of the two now over, they are no longer part of the IPL.
Streak leaves for India at the end of this month and returns sometime in May depending on how far KKR go in this year’s IPL.
By the time he heads off to India, Streak might be on cloud nine having led Zimbabwe to qualification for next year International Cricket Council Cricket World Cup in England. That is if the Chevrons finish among the top two in the Qualifier. -@Mdawini_29
