Brandon Moyo
Sports Reporter
VETERAN all-rounder, Sean Williams has returned to the national team after missing out on the Chevrons’ preparatory T20 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 lanky 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.
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.
CHEVRONS:
Raza Sikandar (captain), Burl Ryan, Chatara Tendai, Ervine Craig, Jongwe Luke, Kaia Innocent, Madande Clive, Madhevere Wessly, Marumani Tadiwanashe, Masakadza Wellington, Mumba Carl, Muzarabani Blessing, Ngarava Richard, Welch Nicholas, Williams Sean
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LADY CHEVRONS:
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