BY SPORTSCAST WRITER
HARARE – Regis Chakabva, Zimbabwe’s vice-captain, will stay in Australia to play club cricket following the completion of the T20 World Cup, casting doubt on the wicketkeeper’s international career after a poor personal show Down Under.
Zimbabwe lost to India by 71 runs on Sunday in their last Super 12 match, and with Netherlands posting a shock win over South Africa earlier in the day, it means the Zimbabweans have not been guaranteed automatic qualification for the next T20 World Cup.
Although Zimbabwe generally punched their weight in this World Cup, 35-year-old Chakabva has been roundly criticised at home for his personal performance in the tournament – never rising to the occasion at all as a senior player.
At some point, it seemed possible that Zimbabwe could reach the semi-final stage of the World Cup, especially following a shock and sensational one-run win over Pakistan last week.
SportsCast can confirm that Chakabva will not fly back home with the rest of the Zimbabwe squad after the World Cup, but we couldn’t establish the club and grade of cricket he will be involved.
At 35, this could possibly signify the end of the diminutive wicketkeeper-batsman’s international career.
Afghanistan are expected to tour Zimbabwe for a full series before end of the year, but SportsCast has heard that the Asians have requested for the cancelation of the Test series so that the two sides concentrate only in the white-ball side of the contest.
