Zimbabwe have announced their 15-man squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Qualifier Africa 2023 to be staged in Namibia starting next week.
This will be all-rounder Sikandar Raza’s first assignment since his appointment as team captain for the format. He will be counting on the experience of fellow veterans Craig Ervine, Sean Williams and Tendai Chatara, alongside the youthful Richard Ngarava, Ryan Burl and Wellington Masakadza, as Zimbabwe seek to secure their place at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024 to be co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States of America.
They have been boosted by the return to full fitness of pace bowler Blessing Muzarabani who missed the team’s tour to Namibia for a bilateral T20 international series last month as he was still recuperating from a right-hand fracture. However, a notable absentee from the squad is pace bowler Bradley Evans who has not yet fully recovered from shin splints.
All in all, Zimbabwe have made four changes to the side that featured at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, with opening batters Innocent Kaia, Nicholas Welch and Tadiwanashe Marumani coming in alongside fast bowler Carl Mumba. The tournament in Namibia, scheduled for 20 November to 1 December, will decide two spots at the next edition of the global event. Apart from Zimbabwe and the hosts, the other teams participating in the qualifier are Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda.
ZIMBABWE SQUAD
Sikandar Raza (captain), Ryan Burl, Tendai Chatara, Craig Ervine, Luke Jongwe, Innocent Kaia, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Carl Mumba, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Nick Welch, Sean Williams.
Source: Zimbabwe Cricket
