Naqvi in Chevrons call up

ZIMBABWE Cricket has named a 17-man squad to face India in a five-match T20I series that kicks off on Saturday at Harare Sports Club.

The Chevrons, who failed to qualify for the 2024 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, have an average age of 27 and a combined total of 558 T20I appearances.

Belgium-born all-rounder, Antum Naqvi, who is of Pakistani descent, received his first call-up to the Zimbabwe squad. However, his inclusion is subject to confirmation of his citizenship. Naqvi was born to Pakistani parents in Brussels, Belgium and moved to Australia at a young age where he is based. He made his first-class debut for Rhinos last season and had a memorable outing in Zimbabwe’s top flight.

The team’s oldest player is captain Sikandar Raza, aged 38 with 86 T20I appearances under his belt, and the second most experienced player is fast bowler Luke Jongwe, Zimbabwe’s all-time leading wicket-taker in the format, with 63 appearances. Fellow pacemen, Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani, with 62 and 60 wickets each respectively, also made the team.

The Chevrons will also welcome back fast bowler Tendai Chatara, Wessly Madhevere, Brandon Mavuta, Dion Myers, Innocent Kaia and Milton Shumba. Chatara had fallen out of favour with the selectors while Madhevere and Mavuta were serving suspensions for using recreational drugs.

It is a deserved call-up for Myers who has been knocking on the selector’s door since returning to Zimbabwe from studying abroad.

Clive Madande, Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Wellington Masakadza, Tadiwanashe Marumani and Faraz Akram have been retained, but five players who were part of the team’s last T20I series against Bangladesh in April were omitted. There was no place for the legendary duo of Craig Ervine, and Sean Williams retired from T20Is after the Chevrons’ Bangladesh tour in May. All-rounder, Ryan Burl, batter Joylord Gumbie and spinner Ainsley Ndlovu failed to make the cut.

The series against India will mark a new chapter for Zimbabwe as ZC recently appointed South African Justin Sammons as head coach and former Zimbabwe international Dion Ebrahim as his assistant in a bid to secure qualification for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka. India has won six of the eight T20I matches against Zimbabwe.

The five matches will be played on July 6, 7, 10, 13 and 14. Gate charges range from US$5 for the rest of the ground to US$20 for Centurion and Red Lion stands.

Chevrons squad for India series
Sikandar Raza (captain), Faraz Akram, Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Tendai Chatara, Luke Jongwe, Innocent Kaia, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Brandon Mavuta, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Antum Naqvi, Richard Ngarava, Milton Shumba.— @brandon_malvin.