AFTER their failure to qualify for the World Cup currently underway in India, the Zimbabwe senior men’s cricket have regrouped for another bid in the shorter version of the game, the T20I World Cup.
They begin preparations with a tour of Namibia for a bilateral series next week. The southern Africa nation will also host the Africa qualifiers for the T20 World Cup next month.
Zimbabwe hosted the ICC World Cup qualifiers in Harare and Bulawayo and after making it to the Super Six stage, the locals choked at the hands of Sri Lanka and Scotland to crash out of the race for India 2023.
The Chevrons travel to Windhoek for the Castle Lite five-match T20I series from October 24 to 30 with matches scheduled for Wanderers and United Sports Clubs in Windhoek.
National selectors have equipped Chevrons head coach, Dave Houghton with a strongest possible squad for the acclimatisation series ahead of the qualifiers next month.
From this Africa region qualifier only two teams will go through to the T20I World Cup scheduled to be co-hosted by West Indies and the United States in June next year.
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Houghton is pleased with the trip which will expose them to conditions they will play the qualifiers in.
“Firstly, this is the first time we have played together as a team since the 50-over World Cup qualifiers and we need to get our winning methods back on track. Secondly, no one in the squad has experienced Namibian conditions, or how the wickets play, so this will give us that insight, prior to the T20 qualifiers in November,” Houghton said in a statement released by ZC.
“Obviously as the only ICC Full Member, we will quite rightly be the favourites. My message is very clear to our team: we will go to win every game and qualification will take care of itself. It’s important that we not only win, but totally dominate in the region. There can be no complacency.”
The captain, Craig Ervine leads a galaxy of stars that includes star all-rounders, Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams who have been away on club cricket assignments around the globe. Seamers, Richard Ngarava and Tendai Chatara made the cut together with bowling all-rounders, Luke Jongwe and Faraz Akram and as did wicket-keeper batsman, Clive Madande, all-rounder, Ryan Burl, Innocent Kaia and spinner Wellington Masakadza.
Returning English County cricket batsman, Nick Welch has raised his hand enough to be noticed during the recently ended National Premier League together with forgotten explosive opener, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe.
They will make the trip together with other fringe players, Nyasha Mayavo and Carl Mumba.
Zimbabwe squad for the tour
Akram Faraz, Burl Ryan, Chatara Tendai, Ervine Craig, Jongwe Luke, Kaia Innocent, Kamunhukamwe Tinashe, Madande Clive, Madhevere Wessly, Masakadza Wellington, Mayavo Nyasha, Mumba Carl, Ngarava Richard, Raza Sikandar, Welch Nick, Williams Sean.