Desperate for games, let alone victories, Zimbabwe would have been hoping for a decent performance when they hosted India and Sri Lanka in the 2010 Micromax Cup. But after playing good cricket in the Caribbean, the slow improvements in their coaching, management and domestic circles paid off, and how - for the first time in a decade, Zimbabwe qualified for their first multi-nation tournament final.

Zimbabwe - a lot was riding on this series for Zimbabwe, and they excelled - not only with execution, but results. Their performances were clinical, positive, confident, and even authoritative. They notched an easy victory against Sri Lanka, and brushed aside India without breaking a sweat - twice. Brendan Taylor was a deserved Man of the Series, but Hamilton Masakadza, Tatenda Taibu and Zimbabwe's army of spinners - Ray Price, Greg Lamb, Graeme Cremer and Prosper Utseya - all came to the party. In the end, it was only Zimbabwe's inexperience that worked against them, but not for lack of trying. This is the first of many, many steps they have to take if they are to become a regular cricket playing country again, but it's a step lots of people thought they'd never take. The cricket world will soon forget about the Micromax Cup, but Zimbabwe will remember the tournament quite fondly.

India and Sri Lanka now turn their attention to the Asia Cup, with experienced players returning to their usual roles in their respective teams. Zimbabwe, unfortunately, don't have any cricket coming up for a while, and will hope that whenever their next assignment comes around, the rust factor does not impact their performances. But having drawn some serious blood in the Micromax Cup, Zimbabwe are in a position to not just return to their pre-exile days, but surpass the glory days of the Flower brothers and take Zimbabwean cricket to new heights.