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Andy Flower

Andy Flower
Andy Flower Image: Wikimedia Commons. Kroome111 / CC BY 3.0

Andrew "Andy" Flower (born 28 April 1968) is a Zimbabwean cricket coach and former cricketer. He captained the Zimbabwe national cricket team and is widely regarded as the greatest Zimbabwean cricketer ever and one of the finest wicket-keeper-batters in the history of the game. After retirement, he transitioned into coaching, serving as head coach of the England cricket team and later working with several franchise teams in international Twenty20 leagues, including the Indian Premier League (IPL).

Key Facts

Full name Andrew Flower
Born 28 April 1968
Nationality Zimbabwean
Role (player) Wicket-keeper-batter
National team Zimbabwe
Highest ODI score 145 vs India, 2002 ICC Champions Trophy
England head coach 2009–2014
Major coaching honour 2010 ICC World Twenty20 (with England)
ICC Hall of Fame Inducted June 2021

Playing career

Flower served as Zimbabwe's wicket-keeper for over a decade and is, statistically, the most prolific batsman the country has produced. He captained Zimbabwe during a formative period for the national side and was widely acknowledged as the only Zimbabwean batsman of true Test-match quality across all conditions.

His highest One Day International (ODI) score of 145, made against India in the 2002 ICC Champions Trophy, remains the highest individual score by a Zimbabwean player at any ICC tournament. During his peak form between October and December 2001, Flower was ranked the number one Test batsman in the world.

Coaching career

England

Flower was appointed head coach of the England cricket team in 2009, becoming only the second foreign coach in the team's history. He held the position until 2014. Under his leadership, England won the 2010 ICC World Twenty20, the country's first global limited-overs ICC title.

Franchise cricket

Flower has been associated with several franchise teams across global Twenty20 leagues:

  • Multan Sultans – Led the side to their first playoffs in the 2020 season of the Pakistan Super League. The Sultans finished first in the league stage but were eliminated in the preliminaries.
  • St Lucia Zouks – Guided the franchise to their first finals appearance in the Caribbean Premier League (CPL).
  • Kings XI Punjab (now Punjab Kings) – Served as assistant coach during IPL 2020 and IPL 2021.
  • Lucknow Super Giants – Joined as head coach after his stint with Punjab.
  • London Spirit – Head coach in The Hundred.
  • Royal Challengers Bangalore – Appointed head coach in August 2023 following the conclusion of his term at Lucknow Super Giants. Under his leadership, RCB won their first IPL title in 2025 and a second title in 2026.

Honours and recognition

In June 2021, Flower was inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame, becoming the first Zimbabwean cricketer to receive the honour.

Significance

Flower's career bridges the playing and coaching dimensions of modern cricket. As a player, he set benchmarks for Zimbabwean cricket that remain unsurpassed, particularly with the bat and behind the stumps. As a coach, his tenure with England coincided with one of the most successful phases in English limited-overs and Test cricket, and his subsequent franchise career has positioned him among the most sought-after coaches in the Twenty20 era.

References