Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi, Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE will turn to a familiar, and celebrated face today as Brendan Taylor will be behind the stumps for the first time since his return to international cricket. The 39-year-old former captain, who only recently completed a three-year ban, is set to keep wicket in the One Day International series opener against Sri Lanka at Harare Sports Club.
Taylor’s comeback, which began with the Test series against New Zealand earlier this year, has seen him work diligently to sharpen his fitness and glove work.
His efforts have not gone unnoticed, with skipper Craig Ervine praising the veteran’s determination to reclaim the crucial wicketkeeping role. This move adds a layer of experience and grit to the Zimbabwe side, as they seek to make a strong start to the series.
“He’s done a lot of glove work,” said Ervine. “Even down in Bulawayo, and I think he will be taking the gloves, and we’ll see how that goes. He’s obviously done a lot of work fitness-wise as well.
So, I certainly think that his body’s in the best space and best condition for him to be able to get through that sort of workload. So, we are really excited for him to take the gloves and obviously be back in the white-ball squad.”
Taylor takes over from Tafadzwa Tsiga, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Joylord Gumbie and Clive Madande, who have all shared wicketkeeping duties in recent white-ball matches. His return brings both stability and experience to a squad that blends seasoned stars with emerging talent.
Zimbabwe last played an ODI series in February against Ireland, winning it 1–0. Now they face a sterner test: two ODIs and three T20s against Sri Lanka, all at Harare Sports Club, beginning today and concluding with the second ODI on Sunday.
Ervine acknowledged the challenge ahead but expressed confidence in the team’s preparations and their ability to target a rare series win.
“It’s only a two-game series. So, I think with our preparations leading into it, we really wanted to hit the ground running tomorrow (today). We can’t play catch-up. There’s just not enough time for that. So, we really need to nail all our processes and our plans and make sure that we get off to a great start,” he said.
“Playing at Harare Sports Club, I think for a lot of us is one of our favourite grounds to play at, and it only gets better when there’s a decent crowd. We really enjoy playing in front of a good crowd and hopefully we can give the guys a lot to cheer about.”
Zimbabwe’s squad features its most dependable performers, including Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani. It also welcomes back Clive Madande, Tony Munyonga, Brad Evans, and introduces uncapped seamer Ernest Masuku.
Ervine emphasised the importance of strong starts from the top order, recalling the impact of Brian Bennett and Ben Curran in the Ireland series.
“I think our last series against Ireland was really good. The way we went about our business is something that we certainly want to replicate in this series against Sri Lanka. I know that Sri Lanka obviously has a lot more of a skilled side than what Ireland has. But I certainly think that it will be a great test for us to see where we are in the white-ball space,” he said.
“I think the way Ben Curran and Brian Bennett batted against Ireland really set the platform for us. So, those little things, if we can do that consistently, I think we’ll find ourselves getting the right results.”
For Zimbabwe, this series is more than just a contest—it forms part of their build-up to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Regional Final, which they will host from 19 September to 4 October. For Sri Lanka, it is an opportunity to fine-tune their squad ahead of the Asia Cup in the UAE next month.
Sri Lanka’s captain Charith Asalanka said his team is keen to build on their recent 2–1 series win against Bangladesh.
“I think in the recent past, we have done well especially at home, and this series is also a good opportunity for us to perform well overseas,” he said.
“It will be a challenging tournament, and I think we are ready for the challenge right now. It’s a really good opportunity for us to prepare well for the Asia Cup and the important T20 World Cup coming next year. The main goal right now is to select the best combination and the best XI for us. We struggled a little bit with our T20 side in the past two or three months, so this is the best chance for us to clarify our best combination and best level.”
Londile Moyo