Cricket

Zimbabwe has announced its squad for the upcoming five-match T20I series against India in Harare, with batter Antum Naqvi receiving his maiden call-up. However, Naqvi's inclusion is contingent upon confirmation of his citizenship status.The squad also sees the return of allrounders Wessly Madhevere and Brandon Mavuta, who have completed their suspensions for drug use. Experienced fast bowler Tendai Chatara, who last played in the T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier, has also been recalled.Mainstays Craig Ervine, Sean Williams, Ryan Burl, Joylord Gumbie, and Ainsley Ndlovu have been dropped from the squad. These players were part of Zimbabwe's recent away series in Bangladesh, which they lost 4-1.Naqvi, 25, has risen to prominence this year, becoming the first player to score a triple century for any Zimbabwe team in representative cricket. He scored an unbeaten 300 for Mid West Rhinos in the Logan Cup and captained the team in just his second year of domestic cricket in Zimbabwe.A top-order batter, Naqvi boasts a strike rate of 146.80 in seven T20 matches. Born in Brussels, Belgium to Pakistani parents, he moved to Australia at the age of four and earned a commercial airline pilot's license. However, he put his aviation career on hold to pursue cricket.Zimbabwe failed to qualify for the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024 and is aiming to rebuild under new head coach Justin Sammons. The average age of the squad to face India is 27, reflecting this intention.Captain Sikandar Raza, 38, is the most experienced player in the squad with 86 T20Is, while allrounder Luke Jongwe is second with 63 T20I appearances.

Justin Sammons, a renowned South African cricket coach, has been appointed as the new head coach of the Zimbabwe national cricket team. Sammons brings a wealth of experience to the role, having worked extensively in South African cricket over the years. He will be assisted by former Zimbabwe international Dion Ebrahim.Sammons' appointment comes at a crucial time for Zimbabwe cricket, as the team has failed to qualify for three out of the last four World Cups. The new coach is expected to bring a fresh perspective and help the team improve its performance on the international stage.Sammons has a proven track record of identifying, nurturing, and developing young talent. He has worked with several domestic sides in South Africa and was part of the South Africa men's technical team as batting consultant between 2021 and 2023."We are delighted to confirm Justin as head coach of the Zimbabwe senior men's national team," said Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani. "He brings a wealth of coaching experience and a reputation of identifying, nurturing and developing some of the best young talent in South Africa."Sammons expressed his excitement about the opportunity to coach Zimbabwe. "I look forward to the road ahead and I am excited to start working with this talented group of players," he said.Dave Houghton, the former Zimbabwe captain, had served as the national team's head coach for 18 months before resigning after Zimbabwe's failure to qualify for the T20 World Cup 2024. Walter Chawaguta, who coached Zimbabwe in 2008, took over as interim coach after that.Ebrahim, meanwhile, has represented Zimbabwe in 29 Tests and 82 ODIs between 2001 and 2005. He has been a part of the backroom staff with the New Zealand senior men's team more recently.The rest of the support staff for the Zimbabwe team will be appointed in consultation with Sammons. Elton Chigumbura, the former captain of Zimbabwe, has been appointed head coach of the nation's Under-19 team. Norbert Manyande and Paul Adams will serve as assistant and bowling coach, respectively.

Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has lifted the suspensions of Wessly Madhevere and Brandon Mavuta, allowing them to resume competitive cricket after completing their four-month bans for drug use. The duo tested positive for a recreational drug during an in-house dope test in December 2023.As part of their rehabilitation, Madhevere and Mavuta underwent training under ZC's high-performance program and were fined 50% of their salaries for three months. They have since cleared drug tests conducted after their suspension period ended.ZC Managing Director Givemore Makoni welcomed the players' return, stating, "I am pleased to welcome Wessly and Brandon back to competitive cricket after both of them underwent rehabilitation and also passed a drug test carried out to check if they were now clean."Makoni emphasized the players' acknowledgment of their mistakes and their commitment to staying clean. However, there is no update on batter Kevin Kasuza, who was also suspended in January for a similar offense.Meanwhile, ZC academy player Davis Murwendo has tested positive for a social drug in the latest round of internal tests and is scheduled for a hearing.ZC's anti-drugs program is voluntary and separate from ICC and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) obligations. Makoni explained, "Recognizing the dangers that recreational drugs may cause, ZC opted to go beyond the ICC and WADA obligations by implementing an in-house drugs testing programme."This initiative provides education, counseling, and treatment to rehabilitate players involved with social drugs.

Bangladesh has announced its squad for the first three T20Is of the five-match series against Zimbabwe, with Mohammad Saifuddin making a comeback. The squad also includes left-arm spinner Tanvir Islam, allrounder Afif Hossain, and opening batters Tanzid Hasan and Parvez Hossain.Saifuddin, who last played T20Is for Bangladesh in October 2022, has recovered from a back injury that sidelined him for several months. He impressed during the recent Bangladesh Premier League (BPL), taking 15 wickets in nine matches for Fortune Barishal, who won their maiden BPL title.Tanzid, a left-handed opener, has earned his maiden T20I call-up after playing 15 ODIs since his debut last year. He had a decent BPL campaign but was not part of the T20Is against Sri Lanka last month.Mustafizur Rahman and Shakib Al Hasan are notable absentees from the squad for the first three matches. Shakib is expected to return to Dhaka on April 30 and may play a Dhaka Premier League match before joining the squad for the remaining two matches. Mustafizur is set to arrive on May 2 after his IPL stint and will undergo a fitness assessment before being considered for the final two T20Is in Dhaka.Anamul Haque, Taijul Islam, and Mohammad Naim have been left out from the squad that played T20Is against Sri Lanka, while Soumya Sarkar is still recovering from a knee injury.The first three T20Is will be played in Chattogram on May 3, 5, and 7, before the action moves to Dhaka for the last two games on May 10 and 12.

Guy Whittall, the former Zimbabwean all-rounder, narrowly escaped a life-threatening encounter with a leopard earlier this week. The 51-year-old sustained severe injuries to his head and hand, necessitating immediate surgery.Whittall, who represented Zimbabwe in 46 Tests and 147 ODIs between 1993 and 2003, currently operates a safari business with his family in Humani. According to his wife Hannah's Facebook post, the incident occurred on Tuesday. Whittall was airlifted to Harare for urgent medical attention.This is not the first time Whittall has had a close encounter with wildlife. Over a decade ago, an eight-foot, 165kg Nile crocodile entered his bedroom at the Humani game reserve and spent the night there.Whittall's injuries are reported to be stable, but he remains under observation. His family and friends have expressed their gratitude for the outpouring of support and prayers.The incident highlights the inherent risks associated with living in close proximity to wildlife. Whittall's experience serves as a reminder of the importance of taking necessary precautions and respecting the boundaries of wild animals.

Josephine Nkomo's heart sank as she watched her Zimbabwean team fall just four runs short of victory in the 2023 T20 World Cup Qualifier semi-final against Ireland. The defeat crushed their hopes of a first World Cup appearance, leaving Nkomo shattered.Now, Zimbabwe has a chance to redeem themselves in the 2024 T20 World Cup Qualifier in Abu Dhabi. Nkomo and her teammates are determined to avoid the heartbreak of 2022 and secure a spot in the World Cup.Zimbabwe's recent victory at the Africa Games, where they defeated South Africa in a Super Over, has boosted their confidence. Nkomo, who hit the winning runs, has embraced a leadership role in crunch moments.Her experience playing club cricket in Australia and England has enhanced her game awareness. Nkomo credits Elyse Villani, her former teammate, for sharing valuable knowledge and insights.Zimbabwe's women's team recognizes the importance of their role in keeping cricket relevant in their country. With the men's team failing to qualify for a World Cup, the women's team has the opportunity to showcase their talent on a global stage.Nkomo believes that qualifying for the World Cup would be a life-changing experience for the team. It would provide them with a platform to inspire young girls and demonstrate the strength of Zimbabwean cricket.

Jonathan Campbell, the son of former Zimbabwe captain Alistair Campbell, is poised to make his international debut in the upcoming five-match T20I series against Bangladesh, commencing on May 3. The 26-year-old all-rounder, who bowls legspin, was a key member of Zimbabwe's emerging team that triumphed at the 13th African Games in March 2024.Campbell's impressive performance at the African Games included 115 runs from four innings at a strike rate of 126.37. While he was not required to bowl extensively, he did claim a wicket in his two overs. Two of Campbell's teammates from the African Games, Clive Madande and Brian Bennett, have already represented Zimbabwe at the senior level and have retained their places for this tour.Sikandar Raza will continue to lead the Zimbabwean squad, which boasts experienced players such as Craig Ervine, Sean Williams, Richard Ngarava, and Blessing Muzarabani. Top-order batter Tadiwanashe Marumani and all-rounder Faraz Akram have been recalled to the side after missing the T20Is in Sri Lanka, which Zimbabwe lost 1-2.The series against Bangladesh will commence in Chattogram, which will host the first three games on May 3, 5, and 7. The final two matches will be played in Dhaka on May 10 and 12.

Shakib Al Hasan, Bangladesh's star all-rounder, is poised to make a return to white-ball cricket next month in the T20I series against Zimbabwe. Chief selector Gazi Ashraf Hossain revealed that Shakib is expected to arrive in Dhaka at the end of April and could feature in a couple of Dhaka Premier League (DPL) matches before joining the national team."We have communicated with him," Ashraf said. "He is expected to arrive in Dhaka at the end of this month. He will possibly play one or two DPL matches. Afterwards, he will get involved with the team management. There he can do his training on cricketing skill as per the desire of team management. We will definitely want him to play a couple of matches in the series."Shakib has been on a break from white-ball cricket since the 2023 ODI World Cup due to an eye condition and a finger injury. He returned to international cricket in the Chattogram Test against Sri Lanka earlier this month.Bangladesh have announced a 17-man preparatory squad that will train for three days in Chattogram from April 26. The group doesn't include Shakib or Mustafizur Rahman, who is playing for Chennai Super Kings in the IPL until May 1. Ashraf said that Mustafizur would also miss the first T20I against Zimbabwe on May 3 in Chattogram.The training squad includes Mohammad Saifuddin, who returns after a long injury layoff. He last played for Bangladesh shortly before the 2022 T20 World Cup and returned to action in this season's BPL, where he was part of Fortune Barishal's title-winning squad."Definitely (Mohammad) Saifuddin is a promising player and if he is not injured he could have more international experience," Ashraf said. "He is ahead with his batting but in bowling he has competitors. So it's a good opportunity for him to get back into his groove in the Zimbabwe series because we have a lot of interest in him."Bangladesh play the first three T20Is against Zimbabwe in Chattogram on May 3, 5, and 7, and the last two T20Is in Dhaka on May 10 and 12.