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Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Cricket selectors are confident former skipper Elton Chigumbura will be able to turn around his game by the time they compete at the ICC World Twenty20 in India next month after the all-rounder was named in a familiar 15-men team to represent the nation at the tournament.
Chigumbura, who is currently playing for Quetta Gladiators in the Pakistan Super League, has been struggling with his game of late and has decided to step down from the captaincy to lighten his load.
ZC convener of selectors Kenyon Ziehl yesterday said the 29-year old was chosen on the basis of his experience and have tipped him to rise at the big stage.
Chigumbura has managed only 26 runs in his last eight T20 matches with a best of eight against Afghanistan last month in Sharjah. His poor run continued yesterday when he was dismissed for a golden duck in the PSL match against Peshawar Zalmi.
“Yes Elton is out of form at the moment but he has experience under his belt. Currently he is playing in Pakistan and we’re hopeful he’ll be able to rise at the big stage.
“He’s one of the all-rounders that we’ve selected in the team, with the other one being Luke Jongwe,” said Ziehl.
The squad will assemble tomorrow and they have three weeks to prepare for the World Cup.
Zimbabwe are expected to travel to the United Arab Emirates this week where they will play practice games with West Indies before heading to India for more warm up matches.
Zimbabwe cricket selectors are also hoping to strike gold with the big gamble they made by recalling Tinashe Panyangara and Tendai Chatara who had been out for some time with injuries.
Chatara has been on the sidelines since April last year when he fractured his left leg and only returned to competitive cricket last month while Panyangara was battling a back injury which made him unavailable for the Chevrons’ recent assignments.
The selectors however retained most of the players who took part in the Bangaldesh tour as they made only three changes by replacing Brian Vitori and Taurai Muzarabani with Panyangara and Chatara while opening batsman Chamu Chibhabha was dropped.
Zimbabwe T20 squad
Hamilton Masakadza (capt), Sean Williams, Tendai Chatara, Wellington Masakadza, Tinashe Panyangara, Peter Moor, Elton Chigumbura, Sikandar Raza, Richmond Mutumbami (wk), Luke Jongwe, Tendai Chisoro, Neville Madziva, Malcolm Waller, Vusi Sibanda and Graeme Cremer; Donald Tiripano (stand-by)
Online Reporter
derick.khumalo