Williams returns to Chevrons
VETERAN all-rounder, Sean Williams has returned to the national team after missing out on the Chevrons’ preparatory T 20 series against Namibia at the end of last month.
Williams is part of the strong 15-man squad that was announced yesterday by Zimbabwe Cricket for the upcoming International Cricket Council (ICC) Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier starting next week in Namibia.
As one of the most experienced T20 players in the world, Williams’ experience will come in handy for the Sikandar Raza captained Chevrons team as they hope to book their place in next year’s extended T20 World Cup.
It will be Raza’s first assignment as Zimbabwe’s permanent T20 captain. Apart from Williams, and the skipper Raza, the other experienced campaigners who made the team are batter Craig Ervine and fast bowler Tendai Chatara.
The Chevrons’team has been bolstered by the return of the lank seamer, Blessing Muzarabani who missed the bilateral T20I series against Namibia as he was recovering from a right hand fracture. Fast bowler, Bradley Evans is a notable absentee from the team as he is still yet to recover from shin splints. There was, however, no place for spinner Ainsley Ndlovu in the team despite having had a good campaign in the series against the tournament hosts, Namibia.
All in all, Zimbabwe have made four changes to the side that featured at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia, with opening batters Innocent Kaia, Nicholas Welch and Tadiwanashe Marumani coming in alongside fast bowler Carl Mumba.
The tournament in Namibia, scheduled for 20 November to 1 December, will decide two spots at the next edition of the global event. Apart from Zimbabwe and the hosts, the other teams participating in the qualifier are Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania and Uganda. Only two teams from the African Qualification tournament will proceed to the global show-piece which will be co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States of America (USA) in June next year.
Zimbabwe missed out on direct qualification to the World Cup after failing to make the top eight in the previous edition of the tournament which was held in
Australia last year. A total of 12 teams have already secured their spots and they are the hosts, West Indies and USA, England, Pakistan, India, Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, Netherlands, Bangladesh and Afghanistan.
Bangladesh and Netherlands qualified automatically as the best-ranked teams in the ICC Men’s T20I Team Rankings, as of 14 November 2022.
The 20 teams in the World Cup will be divided into four groups of five, from which the top two teams in each group advance to the Super Eight round.
In other cricket news, Zimbabwe Women will play a six-match T20 series against the South Africa Emerging Women team in Harare. This is all part of preparations for the regional ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier Africa 2023 to be staged in Uganda in December.
The first three T20 matches between Zimbabwe Women and South Africa Emerging Women are scheduled for Harare Sports Club on 19, 20 and 22 November, all starting at 2pm.
They will then move to Takashinga Cricket Club in Highfield for the other three games, pencilled in for a 12pm start on 24, 26 and 27 November.
The visitors are expected to arrive in Harare tomorrow. A week after the conclusion of the series, the Lady Chevrons will head off to the Africa qualifier where they will battle against women’s sides from Botswana, Kenya, Namibia, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania and event hosts Uganda for two slots at the final, global qualification tournament, the ICC Women’s T20 World Cup Qualifier 2024.
ZC has already named the women’s team for the series.
ZIMBABWE SQUAD FOR ICC MEN’S T20 WORLD CUP
QUALIFIER AFRICA 2023:
Sikandar Razar (captain), Ryan Burl, Tendai Chatara, Craig Ervine, Luke Jongwe, Innocent Kaia, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Carl Mumba, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Nicholas Welch, Sean Williams
ZIMBABWE WOMEN’S SQUAD FOR T20 SERIES AGAINST SOUTH AFRICA EMERGING WOMEN:
Mary-Anne Musonda (captain), Josephine Nkomo, Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano, Modester Mupachikwa, Ashley Ndiraya, Kelis Ndhlovu, Pellagia Mujaji, Chiyedza Dhururu, Nomvelo Sibanda, Precious Marange, Audrey Mazvishaya, Nyasha Gwanzura, Francisca Chipare, Loreen Tshuma, Adel Zimunu, Kudzai Chigora, Lindokuhle Mabhera