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Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
WEST Indies arrived in Bulawayo yesterday where they will play two Test cricket matches against Zimbabwe at Queens Sports Club early next month.
The Windies touched down at the Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo International Airport yesterday afternoon.
It is the Caribbean side’s first Test visit to Zimbabwe since 2017 when they also played two matches at the same venue.
Led by Kraigg Braithwaite, the Windies are also with legend, Brian Lara who will be part of the team’s technical side. His exact role is however not yet confirmed.
The two matches are scheduled for February 4-8 and 12-16. Before the two Tests, the visitors will play a warm up match against Zimbabwe A at Bulawayo Athletic Club (BAC) starting on Saturday January 28.
The last time Lara visited Zimbabwe with the Windies was in 2003/4 season when he scored 191 runs off 203 deliveries in a match that they won by 128 runs in Bulawayo to go on and take the series 2-1.
Experienced fast bowler Shannon Gabriel has been recalled back to the side having missed a number of Test matches.
For the Windies, it will be the beginning of their international calendar for 2023 and they will be hoping to get off on a positive note.
“This is the start of the international calendar for 2023 and we will hope to start with a win. We appreciate it won’t be an easy assignment as Zimbabwe, like most other teams in world cricket, play very well on their home soil,” said West Indies lead selector Desmond Haynes.
In 2017, West Indies won the two-match series 1-0, winning the first contest by 117 runs with the second five-day contest ending in a draw. — @brandon_malvin
Online Reporter