adminSenior Sports Reporter
ENGLAND-based top order batsman Chamunorwa Chibhabha jets in the country on Tuesday ahead of the senior national cricket team matches against India next month. Chibhabha who turns out for Harefield Cricket Club is the only overseas based player called up for the tour by India as out of form and Ireland based medium pace bowler Tawanda Mupariwa has not been included in the squad.
Chibhabha was part of the tour to Pakistan where he and Mupariwa had to fly back home to be with the national team as the season in England as well as Ireland was already underway.
The 28-year-old right-handed batsman was the highest run scorer for Zimbabwe in the three match One-Day International series with 138 runs scored at an average of 138 and best score of 99 runs, his highest ever total in ODIs.
Chibhabha has played 69 ODIs and 18 T20s since he made his international debut in 2005.
According to the Harefield Cricket Club website, Chibhabha has this season notched 100 runs for the club in five matches in which he has batted four times with a high score of 47 runs.
Mupariwa was not asked to come home from Ireland where he is playing club cricket after struggling for form in Pakistan where he only managed one wicket in the seven overs he bowled and in the only match he played.
Coach Davenell Whatmore said Chibhabha was expected to play a practice match in Harare on Wednesday.
He is part of a 20-man squad preparing for the Zimbabwe/India matches which are made up of three ODIs and two Twenty20 Internationals all at Harare Sports Club.
Whatmore said the preparations for India had gone on well save Vusumuzi Sibanda who sprained his ankle and wicketkeeper Richmond Mutumbami who has an eye infection.
The coach described the two players’ situation as not a cause for concern as the two might be back in the reckoning by the time India land in Zimbabwe next month.
The ODI between Zimbabwe and India is on 10 July, the second two days later with the third match on 14 July. The two teams then meet in the first of the two Twenty20 Internationals on 17 July, before the last match, the second T20 on 19 July.
Zimbabwe preliminary squad
Sikandar Raza, Regis Chakabva, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Luke Jongwe, Roy Kaia, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Neville Madziva, Hamilton Masakadza, Christopher Mpofu, Richmond Mutumbami, Tinashe Panyangara, Vusumuzi Sibanda, Donald Tiripano, Prosper Utseya, Brian Vitori, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams.
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