Cricket

Bangladesh captain Najmul Hossain Shanto opted to bowl first in the opening T20I against Zimbabwe at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza, on the other hand, expressed his team's willingness to bat.Zimbabwe made two changes to their lineup, with Joylord Gumbie making his T20I debut. Tony Munyonga and Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, who featured in Zimbabwe's previous T20I against Sri Lanka, were replaced by Gumbie and Ryan Burl.Bangladesh also handed a T20I debut to Tanzid Hasan, filling the void left by the injured Soumya Sarkar. Mustafizur Rahman was absent from the squad as he continues to rest after his stint with Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League. Mohammad Saifuddin returned to the international fold for the first time since October 2022, having recovered from a back injury.Bangladesh Playing XI:1. Litton Das (wk)2. Najmul Hossain Shanto (capt)3. Tanzid Hasan4. Towhid Hridoy5. Mahmudullah6. Mahedi Hasan7. Jaker Ali8. Mohammad Saifuddin9. Rishad Hossain10. Taskin Ahmed11. Shoriful IslamZimbabwe Playing XI:1. Joylord Gumbie2. Craig Ervine3. Brian Bennet4. Sean Williams5. Sikandar Raza (capt)6. Ryan Burl7. Clive Madande (wk)8. Luke Jongwe9. Wellington Masakadza10. Richard Ngarava11. Blessing Muzarabani

Vanuatu, a small island nation with a population of just over 300,000, has stunned the cricketing world by defeating Zimbabwe, ranked 12th in the ICC Women's T20I rankings, in the opening match of the Women's T20 World Cup Qualifier in Abu Dhabi.Vanuatu's spinners, Vanessa Vira and Nasimana Navaika, wreaked havoc on Zimbabwe's batting lineup, sharing seven wickets between them. Vira dismissed Modester Mupachikwa in the second over, while Andrew bowled Chipo Mugeri-Tiripano and captain Mary-Anne Musonda in quick succession. Navaika then took four wickets in 10 balls, leaving Zimbabwe reeling at 55 for 8 after 11 overs.In response, Vanuatu lost their openers early but captain Selina Solman and Navaika steadied the ship with a 19-run stand. Navaika was eventually dismissed by Audrey Mazvishaya, but Vanuatu held on to secure a historic six-wicket victory with 21 balls to spare.This victory is a testament to the rise of Vanuatu cricket. In the last seven months, they have defeated regional rivals Papua New Guinea and earned a morale-boosting victory over a much stronger Zimbabwe side. Their success is a result of hard work, determination, and the support of their passionate fans.

Confusion over T20I Status at Africa GamesThe recent Africa Games witnessed a mix-up in communication, resulting in some matches being granted T20I status while others were not. The International Cricket Council (ICC) clarified that fixtures involving South Africa's men's and women's teams, as well as Zimbabwe's men's team, were not considered T20Is. However, games between the other six men's teams and seven women's teams were recognized as T20Is.The confusion arose after Cricket South Africa (CSA) inquired about the official status of the matches. According to the ICC's "Classification of Official Cricket" document, all T20 matches played under ICC regulations are considered internationals, except for those involving A teams or age-group sides.South Africa sent an emerging women's team and a university men's team to the Africa Games due to player commitments elsewhere. Zimbabwe selected an under-25 men's side but fielded a first-choice women's squad. The other participating countries, all Associate nations, sent their strongest available sides and believed they were playing internationals.The miscommunication raised concerns for South Africa and Zimbabwe, who are Full Members of the ICC. They questioned whether the results would affect their T20I rankings. CSA also expressed concerns about the impact on 16-year-old wicketkeeper Karabo Meso, who played at the Africa Games and was subsequently named in the senior squad to face Sri Lanka.Additionally, there were concerns about the infrastructure in Accra, particularly the suitability of the cricket venues. CSA intervened, and a ground consultant from Zimbabwe assisted in preparing the pitch and outfield.The Africa Games organizers were contacted for comment but had not responded at the time of writing.