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Eddie Chikamhi-Senior Sports Reporter
ALL-ROUNDER Sean Williams is set to lead Zimbabwe in battle again after he was named captain ahead of the upcoming Twenty20 international cricket series against Pakistan.
Williams, who has done well as interim Test skipper, takes over the reins from Chamu Chibhabha, who has been the acting limited overs skipper since January last year.
Chibhabha could not make the squad of 15 announced by Zimbabwe Cricket at the weekend. The experienced all-rounder also missed the previous series against Afghanistan in Abu Dhabi due to injury, with Williams assuming the skipper’s roles.
Veterans Brendan Taylor and Craig Ervine bounced back to the national team after they were included in the squad for the series against Pakistan that gets underway in Harare this Wednesday.
The two seasoned batsmen missed Zimbabwe’s last series against Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates in February-March due to health issues, but they are among the six changes made to the national side for the upcoming home tour.
Luke Jongwe, who last played international cricket in January 2016, has also returned to the fold after he was named in the 15-man squad.
The uncapped trio of the sensational Tadiwanashe Marumani, the 19-year-old batsman who scored four fifties in five matches in the just-ended Domestic T20 Competition, as well as seamer Tanaka Chivanga and spin bowler Tapiwa Mufudza are the other new faces in the side.
Sikandar Raza will miss the series due to an upper-arm injury. From the squad that faced Afghanistan, the players who have been dropped are Richmond Mutumbami, Milton Shumba, Brandon Mavuta, Tarisai Musakanda and Faraz Akram.
Musakanda has, however, been placed on standby alongside Ainsley Ndlovu and Bradley Evans.
The T20I series between Zimbabwe and Pakistan is scheduled to start this Wednesday and will be played behind closed doors at Harare Sports Club.
The second game will be on Friday and the final match has been set for Sunday, with the matches starting at 11am local time. All the games will have no spectators allowed in the stadium due to COVID-19 protocols.
The Zimbabwe squad immediately got their preparations in motion yesterday when they began a training camp in Harare.
Zimbabwe T20I Squad
S. Williams (captain), R. Burl, R. Chakabva, T. Chivanga, C. Ervine, L. Jongwe, T. Kamunhukamwe, W. Madhevere, T. Marumani, W. Masakadza, T. Mufudza, B. Muzarabani, R. Ngarava, B. Taylor, D. Tiripano
Online Reporter