ZIMBABWE cricket coach Dav Whatmore is confident his charges can continue their growth as a team when they take on Pakistan in the opening Twenty20 (T20) international at Harare Sports Club tomorrow.
BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
Whatmore, who coached the Pakistan between 2012 and 2014, said although they respected for their opponents, they would be aiming to show the progress they have made in the two T20s and three one-day internationals (ODIs).
“While we respect our opponents’ ability as a T20 and ODI team, we want to play well and win,” Whatmore told reporters after the team’s morning training session at the match venue yesterday.
“It will be nice to say we want to win every game, but what we want to do is to show improvement and if we can do that, then it will reflect on the wins column.”
Zimbabwe toured Pakistan in May and, although they lost all the matches during the historic tour, the team managed to compete admirably in most of the matches and with a bit of luck they could have won some of the matches.
Since then, the team has managed to register lone victories during limited-overs series at home against India and New Zealand in July and August respectively.
- Chamisa under fire over US$120K donation
- Mavhunga puts DeMbare into Chibuku quarterfinals
- Pension funds bet on Cabora Bassa oilfields
- Councils defy govt fire tender directive
Keep Reading
Whatmore’s charges managed a 10-run T20 victory against the Indians on July 19 to atone for a clean sweep in the ODIs before stunning World Cup finalists New Zealand with a shock seven-wicket win in the first ODI on August 2.
With those positives in mind, Whatmore said they had been working to build cohesion in the national squad to ensure they translate most of the players’ individual performances into results for the team.
“We’ve prepared as much as we can. This weekend we had a nice team-building session in Gweru and we feel we are ready. What we would want to do first is to make everyone close and happy and working together as a team and, secondly, improve our skills. So, if we are helping each other to do so, naturally we are going to be in a better environment to perform. However, it’s a work-in-progress,” he said.
Zimbabwe are expected to keep faith in the team that played in the lone T20 against New Zealand last month with the exception of wicketkeeper Regis Chakabva, who was dropped from the squad for this series.
Chakabva’s absence means Richmond Mutumbami makes a return to the national fold as selectors continue their search for Brendan Taylor’s successor behind the stumps.
Meanwhile, Pakistan coach Waqar Younis said they expected a competitive series and would not be underestimating the hosts during the limited-overs matches.
“Zimbabwe have always been a competitive side to play against, especially when they are at home,” said Younis, after his team’s arrival on Thursday evening.
“We saw that when they came to Pakistan a few months ago and though they did not win a match they were always very good. There is no one player I can single out as a threat to Pakistan because they are all good, they play as one unit,” he said.
Pakistan arrived without ODI skipper Azhar Ali, vice-captain Sarfraz Ahmed and batsman Asad Shafiq, who will join the squad at the conclusion of the T20 series as they are understood to be away on religious grounds.
Zimbabwe (probable): Hamilton Masakadza, Chamu Chibhabha, Craig Ervine, Elton Chigumbura, Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Richmond Mutumbami, Graeme Cremer, Prosper Utseya (John Nyumbu), Tinashe Panyangara, Christopher Mpofu (Neville Madziva)
Pakistan T20 squad: Shahid Afridi (captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Ahmed Shehzad, Mukhtar Ahmed, Umar Akmal, Sohaib Maqsood, Shoaib Malik, Aamer Yamin, Mohammad Irfan, Bilal Asif, Wahab Riaz, Imad Wasim, Sohail Tanvir, Mohammad Rizwan, Imran Khan Jr
