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The Zimbabwe senior men’s cricket team leaves for the United Arab Emirates of Sharjah this morning for a short tour where they will play matches against Afghanistan.
Zimbabwe will play five One-Day Internationals and two Twenty20 International matches against Afghanistan, at the Sharjah Cricket Ground.
The first ODI is on Christmas day this Friday, the second next Tuesday with the third and fourth on January 2 and January 4. The fifth ODI will be played on January 6. The first Twenty20 International match is on January 8 and the second on the 10th.
Sean Williams who was in the original ODI and T20I squads announced by the national selection panel is unable to travel because of a pain felt initially during the Ireland tour of Zimbabwe.
The all-rounder went on to miss two games against the touring Afghanistan, tried to play again after that and found that the pain was recurring. This has prevented him from playing for his provincial team, Matabeleland Tuskers, this domestic season.
A magnetic resonance imaging scan last week revealed that Williams has bursitis in the left groin. Zimbabwe senior men’s national team physiotherapist Anesu Mupotaringa said they have organised for fluid to be drained from the inflammation, which will be followed by a course of antibiotics and then recovery, giving Williams at the very least two weeks from competitive cricket.
Williams has been replaced by Tendai Chisoro in the ODI squad and by Wellington Masakadza in the T20I squad.
Zimbabwe squad:
Elton Chigumbura (cpt), Malcolm Waller, Graeme Cremer, Chamu Chibhabha, Tinashe Panyangara, Luke Jongwe, Neville Madziva, Hamilton Masakadza, Wellington Masakadza, Muzarabani ,Sikander Raza, PJ Moor (wk), Richmond Mutumbami (wk), Craig Ervine and Tendai Chisoro.
Online Reporter