Chronicle Editor
Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Cricket have named their squads for the limited-overs series against Sri Lanka scheduled for this January.
The two sides will meet in three one-day international matches and as many Twenty20 international games at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo.
Zimbabwe’s ODI squad includes the uncapped Tapiwa Mufudza, the 33-year-old off-spinner who has been rewarded for his consistent top performances on the domestic scene.
Pace bowler Faraz Akram, who has only featured in the T20I format, is also in line to make his ODI bow.
Craig Ervine is back to lead the side after missing the home series against Ireland in December due to injury, but Sean Williams has failed to fully recover in time to make it to Sri Lanka.
Apart from the skipper, Zimbabwe will be counting on the experience of all-rounders Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl as well as the pace duo of Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani as they seek to upset the hosts.
Besides Akram, four other players who came into the national side for the Ireland series – Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Milton Shumba and Tony Munyonga – have been retained for the ODIs in Sri Lanka.
However, there will be three changes to the squad for the T20I series, with Brian Bennett, Ainsley Ndlovu and Carl Mumba coming in to replace Kaitano, Mufudza and Akram.
Raza will captain the T20I side.
Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka will first face off in three ODI matches scheduled for 6, 8 and 11 January before they meet in the T20I fixtures pencilled in for 14, 16 and 18 January.
ZIMBABWE SQUAD FOR ODI SERIES VERSUS SRI LANKA
Ervine Craig (captain), Akram Faraz, Burl Ryan, Gumbie Joylord, Jongwe Luke, Kaitano Takudzwanashe, Kamunhukamwe Tinashe, Madande Clive, Masakadza Wellington, Mufudza Tapiwa, Munyonga Tony, Muzarabani Blessing, Ngarava Richard, Raza Sikandar, Shumba Milton
ZIMBABWE SQUAD FOR T20I SERIES VERSUS SRI LANKA
Raza Sikandar (captain), Bennett Brian, Burl Ryan, Ervine Craig, Gumbie Joylord, Jongwe Luke, Kamunhukamwe Tinashe, Madande Clive, Masakadza Wellington, Mumba Carl, Munyonga Tony, Muzarabani Blessing, Ndlovu Ainsley, Ngarava Richard, Shumba Milton
Bongani Ndlovu
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