German sporting manufacturers, PUMA came forward with a sponsorship deal after Zimbabwe batsman Ryan Burl requested sponsorships for the national team, posting a photo of worn-out shoes to highlight the plight of his country’s cricket.
Zimbabwe have witnessed a significant downfall in the cricketing circle over the past decade or so. The players are underpaid and are struggling to make their ends meet. Pointing out the same, Burl posted a photo of his torn shoes, asking for a sponsorship deal for the team.
“Any chance we can get a sponsor so we don’t have to glue our shoes back after every series,” Burn tweeted at a time when some of the cricket boards are earning millions from sponsorship deals alone.
His tweet was liked and retweeted by several prominent cricketers. Netizens also tagged all the major sports manufacturers. After noticing the tweet, PUMA Cricket responded, saying: “Time to put the glue away, I got you covered @ryanburl3.”
During the early 2000’s, Zimbabwe had a world-class team, with players like Heath Streak, Andy Flower, Grant Flower, and many more. However, the country, in general, witnessed a significant downfall due to various political reasons.
Even the ICC suspended Zimbabwe and disallowed the country into participating in the T20 World Cup Qualifiers in July 2019. However, they were reinstated by the apex body in October. Pakistan had recently visited the country to play 3 T20Is and 2 Tests.
A proposed home series against India was expected to generate huge revenue for the Board, but due to the ongoing COVID19 pandemic, the BCCI were forced to cancel the series, thereby shattering the hopes of Zimbabwe Cricket.