Published: Aug 07, 2016, 02:09 PM (IST)
Edited: Aug 07, 2016, 02:09 PM (IST)
The opening day of the second Test between Zimbabwe and New Zealand witnessed a protest from the locals in the 36th over of the day. The protest was against the Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe, who has been holding the post since independence in 1980, for 36 years now. This was Pastor Evan Mawarire’s idea, who stated the #TheFlag campaign to pressurize President Mugabe to step down as he has been accused of corruption on various counts. Hundreds of people thronged the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, where Women of Zimbabwe Arise (WOZA) staged a peaceful protest with prior permission of the police. LIVE CRICKET SCORECARD: Zimbabwe vs New Zealand 2016, 2nd Test at Bulawayo
During the 36th over of the match, the protesters sang the national anthem and others in the stadium joined them. The players were disturbed briefly by all the chanting, but quickly managed to turn their focus back to the game. The police did however make a couple of arrests, according to newzimbabwe.com. Zimbabwe vs New Zealand 2nd Test, Day 2 Live Updates
Pastor Mawarire had posted a video on social media to ask citizens to take advantage of the cricket match and protest against the government. Protests are not new in Zimbabwe. 13 years ago former Zimbabwe players Andy Flower and Henry Olanga took the field with black armbands at the Harare Sports Club “to mourn the death of democracy”.
Things however did not go according to plan for Zimbabwe on the field as New Zealand once again took firm control of the match, ending Day 1 on a high. Tom Latham had scored his second ton of the series. He and Martin Guptill put on 169 for the first wicket as New Zealand took control of the Test.
