Sundaymail Editor
Brandon Moyo in Bulawayo
ZIMBABWE CRICKET (ZC) have named a “youthful” 15-member squad that includes two uncapped players for their sub-regional 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup qualifying tournament, which is scheduled for Kenya in a couple of weeks.
Aiming to rebuild under new head coach Justin Sammons, Zimbabwe are going to the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier B with a young squad with an average age of 26 and a total of 509 T20I appearances between them.
Captain Sikandar Raza, at 38 and with 91 matches under his belt, is the team’s most experienced player, followed by the returning all-rounder Ryan Burl, who, at 30, has featured in 77 games.
The newcomers in the team are all-rounder Tashinga Musekiwa and right-arm fast bowler Tinotenda Maposa, with 11 of the players who featured against India in July being retained.
The other regular players named in the team are all-rounder Wessly Madhevere and fast bowlers Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava, aged 24, 28 and 26, and with 65, 56 and 55 T20I appearances, respectively.
Apart from Burl, recalled after regaining his form, Zimbabwe also welcome the return of right-arm seamer Trevor Gwandu, who had not made the cut since his international bow against Ireland in December last year.
Zimbabwe’s convener of selectors David Mutendera is confident the young side will deliver results at the six-team ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier B, the other participants being the Gambia, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda and the Seychelles.
The top two sides in the tournament will advance to the regional final, where they will be joined by Namibia and Uganda, who were given a bye after having participated in the previous ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, and four other teams from sub-regional qualifiers A and C.
“We have picked a young squad that is good enough to make us qualify and I am confident they will deliver in Kenya. If you look at the direction we are taking, with the 2026 T20 World Cup and the future in mind, we have been blooding in youngsters who will do the job like they did in winning single matches against Bangladesh and India in our last two series,” said Mutendera.
“Raza is still there for now, but we had to start the process of building a younger team for the future. Of course, some players have missed out on selection this time but they are still part of our plans,” said Mutendera.
Zimbabwe Squad for ICC World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier B
Sikandar Raza (Captain), Faraz Akram, Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Brandon Mavuta, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava.
Online Reporter