Zimbabwe have announced their 17-member squad for the five-match T20I series against India starting from July 6. Sikandar Raza is set to lead the home side again even as the selectors didn't consider senior players Sean Williams and Craig Ervine for selection. Meanwhile, 25-year-old Antum Naqvi has been picked in the squad who was born to Pakistani parents in Belgium and has already applied for naturalisation in Zimbabwe. However, his selection is subject to him getting confirmed as the citizen of the country.
He is one of the trending players in the country at the moment having averaged 73.42 for Rhinos in List A cricket. Moreover, in January 2024, he smashed an unbeaten 300 in first-class cricket becoming the first player to do so. Tendai Chatara, Brandon Mavuta and Wessly Madhevere have returned to the squad while the likes of Ryan Burl, Joylord Gumbie and Ainsley Ndlovu have been dropped.
Dion Myers, Innocent Kaia and Milton Shumba are the other players who have made their comeback to the T20I team for the much-awaited India series. For the unversed, Zimbabwe didn't participate in the recently concluded T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA which India won as they had not qualified for the tournament.
The upcoming series is also the first assignment for the head coach of Zimbabwe, Justin Simmons who was appointed after Dave Houghton resigned post the team failed to qualify for the mega event. All five T20Is between India and Zimbabwe will be played in Harare from July 6 to July 14.
Zimbabwe squad for India series: Sikandar Raza (captain), Faraz Akram, Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Tendai Chatara, Luke Jongwe, Innocent Kaia, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Brandon Mavuta, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Antum Naqvi, Richard Ngarava, Milton Shumba
