

The year 2024 proved to be a blockbuster year for international cricket. There were plenty of bilateral series and global tournaments which provided thorough entertainment to the cricket fraternity. The brand of cricket played by certain teams brought about some new energy to the game. A handful of teams had a wonderful run in their own right. However, there were a few sides which had a forgettable run across formats as a lack of rhythm and winning combination meant underwhelming performances and results.
3 cricket teams that flopped in 2024
3. Namibia [Matches: 32, Won: 12,Win Percentage: 37.5%]
Namibia started off 2024 by winning three of four ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League 2 games. Then came the Nepal Triangular Series where despite winning the first game against the hosts, Namibia went onto lose the next couple of games against Netherlands and Nepal.
The African Games (in Ghana) and the five-match T20I series in Oman were decent for Namibia, as they won five out of eight games. However, what unfolded next was quite contrary, as they ended up with just one win across the T20 World Cup 2024 and the Namibia T20 Tri-Series. The sole victory was a Super Over win against Oman in the marquee T20 tournament.
2. Rwanda [Matches: 24, Won: 8, Win Percentage: 33.33%]
Rwanda kicked off their 2024 with a Twenty20 Quadrangular series in Kenya. In the six games they played in the series, they were only able to win once. The won the five-match T20I series against Malawi by a 3-2 margin, with all three victories coming while chasing. The only time they fell short was during the third game, and that too by just five runs.
They were placed in Group B for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub Regional Africa Qualifier. Rwanda’s lone triumph came in their final game; a 73-run win against Seychelles. It was a chaotic first-half of December 2024 for Rwanda, who were involved in nine T20Is in 10 days on the trot at the Africa Continental Cup. They managed to win only three out of those.
1. Zimbabwe [Matches: 35, Won: 11, Win Percentage: 31.43%]
Apart from the one win against Sri Lanka in the six-match white-ball series (three ODIs and as many T20Is), there was not much to show for Zimbabwe. They next played a five-match series against Bangladesh in which Zimbabwe ended up getting battered by a 4-1 margin. They lost by the same margin when they hosted India in July.
Zimbabwe also ended up on the losing side in the one-off Test against Ireland. However, they defeated Rwanda by a comprehensive 5-0 margin in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Sub Regional Africa Qualifier. Zimbabwe won one game each against Pakistan in the ODI and T20I series each. They were only able to claim victory once against Afghanistan in the all-format series.