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Eddie Chikamhi-Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE limited overs captain Craig Ervine has returned to lead the national team after he was included in the 15-man squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 to be staged in Australia starting next month.
Ervine, who was sidelined by hamstring problems since early August, is now fully recovered and has been working on his game recently.
The knock ruled him out of the assignments against India and Australia.
In his absence, experienced wicketkeeper/batsman Regis Chakabva has been leading the team.
The Chevrons also received a timely boost with Tendai Chatara, Wellington Masakadza and Milton Shumba recovering from collarbone fracture, shoulder tendon and quadriceps injuries respectively to make the squad.
A statement from Zimbabwe Cricket yesterday revealed that fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani, who was part of the side that recently toured Australia for a one-day international series but did not play a single game, is now fit enough to spearhead the team’s bowling attack again.
While the experienced Chakabva, Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams were obvious choices, Bradley Evans, Tony Munyonga and Clive Madande have also made the cut.
Zimbabwe also named Tadiwanashe Marumani, Innocent Kaia, Kevin Kasuza, Victor Nyauchi and Tanaka Chivanga as the non-travelling reserves.
The Chevrons will get their campaign at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 underway on October 17, when they face Ireland in the first of three Group B fixtures that will be played in Hobart, Tasmania.
Next, they will take on the West Indies on October 19 and then complete their first-round action against Scotland on October 21.
The top two teams from Group B will join the Super 12 stage, along with the top two teams from Group A which features Sri Lanka, the United Arab Emirates, the Netherlands and Namibia.
The top two teams from each of the two Super 12 groups will then advance to the semi-finals. Before the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 proper gets underway, Zimbabwe will face Sri Lanka and Namibia in warm-up matches scheduled for 10 and 13 October in Melbourne.
Meanwhile, the Zimbabwe women’s cricket team will polish up their preparations for the upcoming ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier in the United Arab Emirates this afternoon with a practice match against Scotland. The match, to be played at the Tolerance Oval in Abu Dhabi, is set to give them the feel of the turf at the venue of their opening match against Papua New Guinea this Sunday.
The Zimbabwe women are angling for their first T20 World Cup appearance. Apart from Papua New Guinea, they also play Thailand and UAE in Group B of the eight-team Qualifier, where the top two teams will book their places at next year’s World Cup to be held in South Africa.
The other group comprises the USA, Scotland, Ireland and Bangladesh.
ZIMBABWE SQUAD FOR ICC MEN’S T20 WORLD CUP 2022:
Craig Ervine (c), Ryan Burl, Regis Chakabva, Tendai Chatara, Bradley Evans, Luke Jongwe, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Wellington Masakadza, Tony Munyonga, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Sikandar Raza, Milton Shumba, Sean Williams
Reserves: Tanaka Chivanga, Innocent Kaia, Kevin Kasuza, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Victor Nyauchi
Online Reporter