Chevrons train for Pakistan in Bulawayo

THE Zimbabwe senior men’s cricket team wasted no time in preparations for their upcoming series against Pakistan. The Chevrons arrived in Bulawayo on Tuesday and have already held two productive training sessions as they gear up for a white-ball series, consisting of three One Day Internationals (ODIs) and an equal number of T20Is at Queens Sports Club.

The team’s first practice session was held under the scorching sun on Tuesday, and they had another session yesterday. Craig Ervine, the team’s ODI captain, indicated that they were on course, and working hard to polish their skills and address areas that need improvement.

Due to the hot conditions in the City of Kings and Queens, the team is adopting a different approach to their preparation, but despite this, they are determined to give their best performance against Pakistan.

“Our preparations have been great. We spent a good day here yesterday (Tuesday) in the Bulawayo heat, working on our plans and a few other skills to execute come the first game. We put in some good preparations again this morning (yesterday),” said Ervine.

“It’s nice to come down here and spend a few days to get acclimatised. It is a little bit hotter here than in Harare so hydration, recovery and diet all play a crucial role in making sure that we are ready for Sunday,” he said.

The experienced campaigner added that everyone in camp is looking forward to an interesting series against a strong Pakistani side.

“Everybody is confident and excited to play against Pakistan. We know that they are a strong side and for us to start the summer against a strong side like Pakistan can only hold us in good stead for the cricket to come,” said Ervine.

Pakistan is making its first appearance in six years at Queens Sports Club having last played there in July 2018. The tourists landed at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport yesterday and will be under the captainship of Mohammad Rizwan for the ODIs and Salman Ali Agha for T20Is.

Admission to the matches is reasonably priced, with gate charges set at $3 for the rest of the ground and $10 for the grandstand.

The ODI games will start at 9.30am. Furthermore, funds from the first game will be directly donated to KidzCan Zimbabwe. – @brandon_malvin