Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
AS the Zimbabwe senior cricket team head for Sri-Lanka today for the second phase of the preparations for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, coach Justin Sammons is rallying his charges to focus on a Super Eight target.
Sammons, who has been supervising a training camp in Harare for the past few days, is satisfied with the foundation he has laid for his team ahead of the biennial cricket feast that will bring together 20 countries from across the continents.
India and Sri-Lanka will co-host the event from February 8 to March 9.
Zimbabwe, who failed to qualify for the previous ICC Men’s T20 World Cup held in US and the West Indies, want to impress on their return to the global stage.
“Obviously our main focus is to qualify for the Super Eight, and it comes down to us learning the key moments in games and doing well.
“So, our goal is to get through from the group stage to the Super Eight phase of the competition,” said Sammons.
Zimbabwe will compete in Group B alongside Australia, Ireland, Oman and Sri Lanka, with the top two teams advancing to the Super Eight phase.
The Chevrons hope to gain a competitive advantage by embarking on an early training camp in one of the hosting countries, where they will get to feel the conditions and get time to settle in.
Zimbabwe are this week scheduled to set base in the port city of Hambantota before relocating to the capital Colombo for the start of their group games.
The 15-member squad has been training in Harare for the past few days under Sammons and his assistant Dion Ebrahim.
They were joined by former West Indies fast-bowling great Courtney Walsh, as bowling consultant to bolster their preparations.
“The players have been excellent. They have really put in hard work in all aspects,” Sammons said.
“Conditioning has been really good and then obviously they are super keen.
“It’s been really pleasing. The (ZC) board have made a plan to get us to Sri-Lanka early, and they also got us those facilities in Harare.
“They have supported us nicely and it’s really good, we are going to Sri-Lanka early and get accustomed and acclimatise to the conditions because obviously they are quite different. So, we are very appreciative of that,” said Sammons.
Before the camp in Harare, most of the national team players were involved in the domestic T20 competition, which gave them the platform after the festive break.
Captain Sikandar Raza has done well in the SA20 in South Africa while Ryan Burl has also been enjoying his game in the Bangladesh Premier League.
“Obviously they played the second round of the domestic T20 competition several weeks ago, so a lot of them got some game time in there.
“Raza is playing in the SA20 doing exceptionally well and Ryan Burl is at the Bangladesh Premier League; also getting some good intense game time in there. So, it’s good for those two.
“The rest of the guys, we started preparations last week with a big focus on conditioning as well as fielding and then just skills.
“Bowlers have been working on their skills with Courtney Walsh and the batters with Dion Ebrahim, so that’s been really good, good intense days there.
“And then we head off to Sri Lanka, where we will be running the second part of our camp in Hambantota before we then move to Colombo for the ICC World Cup period.
“So yeah, so far it’s been really good and let’s hope the second half of it is excellent as well,” said Sammons.
The Chevrons will open their T20 World Cup campaign against Oman at the Sinhalese Sports Club Ground in Colombo on February 9, before a high-profile encounter against Australia at the R. Premadasa Stadium on February 13.
They will then travel to Kandy to face Ireland at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium on February 17, before re-turning to Colombo to conclude their group fixtures against Sri Lanka at the R. Premadasa Stadium on February 19.
Zimbabwe Squad:
Sikandar Raza (captain), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Graeme Cremer, Bradley Evans, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Brendan Taylor
