Zimbabwe name two uncapped players in squad for Men's T20 WC regional qualifier

New Delhi, Oct 4 (IANS) All-rounder Tashinga Musekiwa and right-arm fast bowler Tinotenda Maposa are the two uncapped players named in Zimbabwe’s 15-member squad for their upcoming Men’s T20 World Cup regional qualifier, to be played in Kenya this month.

The Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier B will see Zimbabwe play alongside Gambia, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda and the Seychelles. The top two sides from here 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 T20 World Cup, and four other teams from sub-regional qualifiers A and C.

Zimbabwe’s squad also has 11 players, including captain Sikandar Raza, who featured in the bilateral series against India in July. All-rounder Ryan Burl returns to the squad, as well as right-arm seamer Trevor Gwandu, who last played international cricket against Ireland in December last year.

Other seasoned campaigners in the side are all-rounder Wessly Madhevere and the fast-bowling duo of Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava.

“We have picked a young squad that is good enough to make us qualify and I am confident they will deliver in Kenya,” said David Mutendera, Zimbabwe’s Convener of Selectors. “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 definitely do the job like they did in winning single matches against Bangladesh and India in our last two series,” he said.

“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," he added.

Zimbabwe squad: Sikandar Raza (cat), 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

--IANS

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