HARARE – Zimbabwe have named two uncapped players in their squad for a sub-regional qualifying contest in Kenya this month as they begin their quest for a place at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026.
The newcomers are all-rounder Tashinga Musekiwa and right-arm fast bowler Tinotenda Maposa, with 11 of the players who featured against India in July being retained.
Aiming to rebuild under new head coach Justin Sammons, Zimbabwe are going to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier B with a young squad with an average age of 26 and a total of 509 T20I appearances.
Captain Sikandar Raza, at 38 and with 91 matches under his belt, is the team’s most experienced player, followed by the returning all-rounder Ryan Burl, who at 30 has featured in 77 games.
The other seasoned campaigners in the side are all-rounder Wessly Madhevere and pace bowlers Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava, aged 24, 28 and 26 and with 65, 56 and 55 T20I appearances respectively.
Apart from Burl, recalled after regaining his form, Zimbabwe also welcome the return of right-arm seamer Trevor Gwandu, who had not made the cut since his international bow against Ireland in December last year.
Zimbabwe’s Convener of Selectors, David Mutendera, is confident the young side will deliver results at the six-team ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier B, the other participants being the Gambia, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda and the Seychelles.
The top two sides in the tournament will advance to the regional final, where they will be joined by Namibia and Uganda, who were given a bye after having participated in the previous ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, and four other teams from sub-regional qualifiers A and C.
“We have picked a young squad that is good enough to make us qualify and I am confident they will deliver in Kenya,” Mutendera said.
“If you look at the direction we are taking, with the 2026 T20 World Cup and the future in mind, we have been blooding in youngsters who will definitely do the job like they did in winning single matches against Bangladesh and India in our last two series.“Raza is still there for now, but we had to start the process of building a younger team for the future.
“Of course, there are some players who have missed out on selection this time but they are still part of our plans.”
ZIMBABWE SQUAD
Sikandar Raza (captain), Faraz Akram, Brian Bennett Brian, Ryan Burl, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Brandon Mavuta, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava.
Source: ZimCricket Media
