AFTER an inept bowling display in their last series against Afghanistan, the Zimbabwe Cricket national selectors have recalled Cephas Zhuwawo and Sean Williams ahead of the International Cricket Council World Cup qualifiers set to start on March 4.
BY KEVIN MAPASURE
Zimbabwe are in the same Group as Hong Kong, Nepal, Scotland and Afghanistan, to whom they lost 4-1 in a series that was played in the United Arab Emirates.
Group A contains West Indies, Netherlands, Ireland, Papua New Guinea and the United Arab Emirates.
The top three from each pool qualify for the Super Sixes stage and Zimbabwe will be looking to give themelves a good chance of winning one of the two tickets by winning all their group games.
With so much panic, following a poor show in the last series where they struggled against spin, Zhuwawo, who has been enjoying a rich vein of form and Williams, who is one of the best in the country facing spin have been hauled back into the squad at the expense of tarisai Muasakand and Ryan Burl. ZC confirmed through a press release yesterday the return of the duo.
“Zimbabwe have recalled Sean Williams and Cephas Zhuwao for the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier, which will take place in Bulawayo, Harare and Kwekwe from 4 to 25 March,” the statement reads. “Williams and Zhuwao were not named in the initial 15-player squad, but have been included in place of Ryan Burl and Tarisai Musakanda following the tour of Sharjah where Zimbabwe lost the five-match series against Afghanistan by 4-1.
Williams, the 31-year-old left-arm spinner and middle-order batsman, last played in an ODI in July 2017 against Sri Lanka in Hambantota. In 111 ODIs since February 2005, Williams has scored 2,947 runs and taken 52 wickets.
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Zhuwao, who is a 33-year-old left-handed opener, played in his only ODI a decade ago, when he featured against Ireland in Nairobi in October 2008, scoring 16 off 20 balls with three fours.”
He expressed delight in the recall and pledged to stick to his attacking style.
“I have prayed and wished in the last two years and I just left everything to God. Prophet Magaya has been important in my life he has been helped even kit wise and traveling,” Zhuwao said. “Cricket is all about bat and ball we are not underrating any team we just have to go out there and execute. I will be the attacking batsman that I have always been. I will not change, if it pays off it pays off, and I am hoping that I can have a positive impact. Not making it into the team has always been hurting but at the end of the day one has to keep working hard and believing that their chance will arrive and I am happy that I have made it.”
Zimbabwe: Graeme Cremer (captain), Tendai Chatara, Tendai Chisoro, Craig Ervine, Kyle Jarvis, Hamilton Masakadza, Solomon Mire, Peter Moor, Blessing Muzarabani, Sikandar Raza, Brendan Taylor, Brian Vitori, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams and Cephas Zhuwao. Heath Streak (coach).
