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Ricky Zililo Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Cricket is set to play host to Afghanistan next month as part of their preparations for the Australia and South Africa’s trips to Zimbabwe in August. The Asian nation will be making their maiden trip to Zimbabwe.
Afghanistan will be involved in limited-overs during their tour against the national team as well as Zimbabwe A whose tour to Bangladesh was cancelled because of bad weather.
ZC communications manager Lovemore Banda yesterday said Afghanistan have confirmed their Zimbabwean tour and they were now working on the exact dates.
“Afghanistan are coming sometime next month to play our national team and we are in the process of negotiating for them to also take on our Zimbabwe A side which failed to travel to Bangladesh. We will be using the matches as part of our preparations for the Aussie and Proteas tours,” Banda said.
Cricket giants Australia and South Africa, who are expected to play some of their matches at Bulawayo’s ceremonial home of cricket, Queens Sports Club and Harare are scheduled to tour the country for a One-Day International triangular series in August.
Afghanistan’s tour is a blessing for the ambitious Zimbabwe A players who will be hoping to impress selectors so that they are considered for the big matches against the two visiting cricket powerhouses.
Already, a training squad made up of Zimbabwe A and a host of national team players is in camp preparing for the August tour.
National team players named for the training squad include captain Brendan Taylor, hard-hitting Hamilton Masakadza, top-order batsman Vusi Sibanda, Matabeleland Tuskers skipper Sean Williams, spin bowler Prosper Utseya and seamer Brian Vitori.
Australia’s last visit to Zimbabwe was in 2004 for three One-Day International matches which they won all with the Proteas’ last tour being last year in June when they were involved in an unofficial Twenty20 tri-series also involving Bangladesh.
Cricket enthusiasts are in for a treat as after Afghanistan, South Africa and Australia, Zimbabwe will play host to Bangladesh and Pakistan who have made frequent visits to the country. The matches are set for October and December respectively.
derick.khumalo