Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema, Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE head coach Justin Sammons has thrown his support behind captain Sikandar Raza, insisting the veteran all-rounder’s recent struggles are merely a temporary setback and not a cause for concern.
Raza endured a difficult run with both bat and ball during Zimbabwe’s recent tours involving Bangladesh and India, although his dip in form in white-ball cricket stretches back to the ICC T20 World Cup.
At the global tournament co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, the 40-year-old amassed 206 runs from six matches and claimed five wickets. While those figures were respectable, they fell short of the exceptionally high standards he has set for himself over the years.
His returns against Bangladesh and India, however, painted a more worrying picture.
Raza managed just 45 runs and one wicket in the One-Day International series against Bangladesh, while contributing 51 runs and three wickets in the T20 leg.
Zimbabwe successfully claimed the ODI series 2-1 but fell to a 2-1 defeat in the three-match T20 contest.
The experienced all-rounder then struggled further against India, scoring only four runs and taking a solitary wicket as the reigning T20 world champions completed a comprehensive 3-0 whitewash.
Despite those underwhelming numbers, Sammons remains unfazed and is grateful to have his captain’s experience and leadership as Zimbabwe begin their latest assignment in Namibia.
“Obviously, it’s good to have Raza with us, as always. He has never missed a T20 series or a white-ball series. That is huge for us. He balances the team, which is extremely important, and we know he’s a match winner in every aspect.
“Yes, he may have had a tough series against India and Bangladesh, but that’s the nature of the game. You are not always going to be on song. One day things go your way and the next they don’t. It is just about making sure he stays true to his preparation and his plans, which he’s doing. We know match-winning performances are just around the corner,” said Sammons.
Raza is expected to shoulder a significant share of the responsibility after Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) named its 15-man squad for the Namibia Tri-Series.
The Zimbabwe T20 captain will continue to lead the side, but he heads into the tournament without one of his most reliable bowling weapons, Richard Ngarava.
Fast bowlers Ngarava and Tanaka Chivanga have both been ruled out through injury.
Ngarava continues his rehabilitation from a lower-back injury, while Chivanga recently underwent surgery after suffering an Achilles tendon injury during training.
There was, however, encouraging news for the Chevrons, with Graeme Cremer returning after recovering from the left-arm injury that sidelined him during the home series against Bangladesh and India.
Kundai Matigimu has also earned selection for the tournament, which runs from August 28 to September 6.
“Obviously, the big blow is not having Richard with us. Following that, Chivanga injuring his Achilles was another hit as he stepped in to replace Richard. It’s always good to have Cremer with us as he brings a lot of experience and calmness to the group, which is crucial. Cremer also gives us the skill set which is needed in Namibia in terms of our spin department,” said Sammons.
Zimbabwe open their campaign against South Africa on Saturday before taking on hosts Namibia two days later. The three nations will face each other twice, with the top two teams progressing to the final on September 6.
The tournament forms part of a broader initiative aimed at creating more regular, high-quality international competition among African nations while strengthening cricket ties across the continent.
Championed by Africa Cricket Association chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani, the initiative is expected to culminate in the launch of the Africa Cup in 2027.
For Sammons, lifting the trophy would represent the perfect outcome, but he remains wary of the challenges posed by both Namibia and South Africa.
The Chevrons departed for Namibia yesterday, with the coach hopeful the side will have sufficient time to acclimatise and fine-tune their preparations before Saturday’s opener.
Although the squad was formally announced only on Monday, Sammons revealed that the group has been together for some time and believes they are well prepared for the task ahead.
“Our preparation has been good. We had a week at Old Hararians and were fortunate to get some centre wickets in and really just hone in on game plans before moving to Namibia. It has been a really good week. The squad had been assembled a while ago and they look to be in good shape.”
On the opposition, he said: “The Namibia squad is fairly consistent and we know what to expect from them in terms of their skill sets. They are a very competitive team, especially in their home conditions, and will be very difficult to beat.
“It showed when they beat South Africa. South Africa have some high-quality players, very dangerous players. And it is going to be a good test for us. We fly out to Namibia today and will, hopefully, get a few sessions in before our first game. The goal is to try to acclimatise to the conditions, especially from the surface that we are going to be encountering.”
ZIMBABWE SQUAD
Sikandar Raza (Captain), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Graeme Cremer, Ben Curran, Brad Evans, Innocent Kaia, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Kundai Matigimu, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Newman Nyamhuri, Tafadzwa Tsiga.
