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Ricky Zililo Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE Cricket has announced a 30-man squad which will begin preparing for the fifth edition of the ICC Twenty20 World Cup to be held in Bangladesh from March 16 to April 6.According to a statement from ZC, the final 15 will be announced next month.
“The squad will be trimmed to 15 before the 15th of next month (February, 2014),” reads the statement.
There are no major surprises in the provisional squad with selectors retaining most of the players that have been regulars in the national team.
Captain Brendan Taylor who is among the players who downed tools in the domestic league over outstanding salaries will lead the team.
Other senior players that have been shortlisted in the provisional squad include Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Matabeleland Tuskers’ Charles “Chopper” Coventry who has been playing club cricket outside the country and seamer Brian Vitori.
Hard-hitter Hamilton Masakadza, Matabeleland Tuskers captain Sean Williams, top-order batsman Vusumuzi Sibanda and spin-bowler Prosper Utseya are on the list provided by Zimbabwe Cricket.
Matabeleland Tuskers’ pace bowler Tawanda Mupariwa bounced back into the national team setup and is one of the many players who will have to prove his mettle during domestic Twenty20 tournament that will run in Harare from February 4-9.
Christopher Mpofu who lost his central contract with ZC after his game took a nosedive has also been shortlisted and is expected to battle for a place in the squad.
In a telephone interview from Harare yesterday, ZC media and communications manager Lovemore Banda said all the players would be monitored during their domestic matches.
“There is no camp for the national team for now. What will happen is that the players will stay with their franchises and fulfil their domestic matches. What’s prudent is for players to impress the selectors especially at the Twenty20 tournament that is set for next month because it’s after that competition that the selectors will come up with their 15-member squad,” Banda said.
Zimbabwe have been drawn with Netherlands, United Arab Emirates and Ireland and will open their account at the ICC Twenty20 World Cup on March 17 against Ireland, In Sylhet Divisional Stadium, Sylhet.
Squad:
Sikanda Raza Butt, Tendai Chatara, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Michael Chinouya, Charles Coventry, Trevor Garwe, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Kevin Kasuza, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Shingirai Masakadza, Tinotenda Mawoyo, Christopher Mpofu, Tawanda Mupariwa, Netsai M’shangwe, Forster Mutizwa, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Richmond Mutumbami, Taurai Muzarabani, Tinashe Panyangara, Edward Rainsford, Vusumuzi Sibanda, Brendan Taylor (captain), Prosper Utseya, Brian Vitori, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams, Cephas Zhuwawo
Online Reporter