Sean Williams unlikely to feature in today’s game

ZIMBABWE Select is likely to go into today’s encounter without the services of all-rounder Sean Williams who had an injury scare in Sunday’s defeat at the hands of Pakistan Shaheens at Harare Sports Club.

The home side will be looking at maintaining their two-game lead in the six-match series and will however, have to do so without the services of the veteran.

Williams did not finish Sunday’s match after he was hit by the ball on the fingers, an injury he had just recovered from.

However, X-ray scans that were conducted show that there was no fracture on his fingers but is set to be out for a couple of days as he heals.

Due to a fractured finger, Williams missed Zimbabwe’s Test series against the West Indies in February in Bulawayo and an injury in this series would have been a big blow to the Chevrons.

Therefore, with Williams likely to be out, Zimbabwe Select will need a new hero in the fourth encounter as they look at making the six-match series 3-1. Pakistan Shaheens won the third encounter by five runs (D/L method) after bad light disrupted play.

The visitors had a slow over rate, finishing their fielding innings later than the projected time, something which contributed to the match being called off.

After finally getting it right at the top with a good second wicket partnership between Tadiwanashe Marumani and Wessly Madhevere who notched up a 56-run partnership, Zimbabwe Select will be hoping that the youngsters pick up from where they left off and lay another solid foundation for the team.

There will be some pressure on Joylord Gumbie, should he get another go, to put his performance on Sunday behind him and focus on today’s game and aim for a good score.

The batters, led by Williams who top-scored with 78 runs from 59 deliveries, came in good on Sunday and will be looking at batting the out the 50-overs once again.

Zimbabwe bowlers have been doing a good job so far in the first three matches and will be crucial in the team maintaining their lead in the series which is headed towards the end.

The fourth match is set to start at 09.15hrs at Harare Sports Club. Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) arranged the one-dayers to help Zimbabwe fine-tune for the International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023 that will be staged across four venues in Harare and Bulawayo from 18 June to 9 July.

The event will see 10 teams competing for the two remaining places at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 in India later in the year.

In other cricket news, Sikandar Raza has returned to Zimbabwe from the Indian Premier League (IPL) where he was playing for Punjab Kings, who finished in position eight out of 10 teams.

The all rounder took to his social media to confirm that he is coming back to Zimbabwe as focus shifts to the World Cup qualifiers.

“Always hard to say goodbye but it’s time.

Thank you, India, for your love, thank you IPL and Punjab Kings for having me and lastly thank you to my team mates for all those memories and friendship we made this year. Prayers for Zimbabwe so that we book a spot at WC,” Raza posted on his Twitter.

Raza made history in the IPL as he became the first Zimbabwean to score a half century in the IPL and also the first to be named Player of the Match in the world’s biggest franchise league.
— @brandon_malvin