ZC name WC squad ELTON CHIGUMBURA
ELTON CHIGUMBURA

ELTON CHIGUMBURA

Jeffrey Murimbechi Sports Correspondent
LEG-SPINNER Tafadzwa Kamungozi has made a surprise return to the Zimbabwe national team colours when he was named in the final 15-member squad to represent the nation at the World Twenty20 Cup in Bangladesh next month.
Zimbabwe were placed in Group C in the qualification stages where they will meet associate nations Ireland, Afghanistan and the Netherlands.

Selectors made surprise inclusions of Southern Rocks right-arm leg spinner Kamungozi and Mountaineers’ batting all-rounder Timycen Maruma after their three-day selection process at Harare Sports Club from a pool of 36 prospective players.

Tinotenda Mutombodzi and Chamunorwa Chibhabha were the unlikely exclusions from the final squad and there is a matching concept in replacing them with Maruma and Kamungozi as both pairs play similar roles.

Tendai Chatara stepped up to the opportunity and he comes in place of veteran Tuskers right-arm fast bowler Chris Mpofu.

Ireland pose a potent threat to Zimbabwe in the qualification stages while Netherlands and The United Arab Emirates are the minors in the group.

According to an official press release from the ICC, Ireland has retained 13 players from the ICC World Twenty20 2013 qualifiers.

They only added Andrew Poynter and Craig Young, replacing John Mooney and the retired veteran bowler Trent Johnston.

Mashonaland Eagles pinch hitter Elton Chigumbura said Zimbabwe should guard against complacency.

“All we have to do in the qualification stages is to play the very best of our style of cricket and to ensure that we leave no room for errors against all teams, whether we know about their players or not.

“We have met Ireland before and they have always wanted to prove that they are better than us so we have to be on guard against them and play our best cricket all the time,” said Chigumbura. Playing at World Cup in Bangladesh gives slow bowlers a great advantage as the subcontinent comprises mainly flat turning wickets. As such, selectors chose three-full time spinners in Prosper Utseya, Kamungozi and Natsai M’shangwe.

They will be assisted by Malcolm Waller, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Sean Williams and Malcolm Waller — who all have slow bowling competences.

ZC also said in a statement the league programme, which was disrupted by player boycotts, will go ahead starting this weekend.

The Pro50 matches will resume tomorrow while the four-day Logan Cup will take off on Monday after almost three months of inactivity.

Zimbabwe squad:
Brendan Taylor (captain), Hamilton Masakadza, Prosper Utseya, Elton Chigumbura, Sean Williams, Malcolm Waller, Vusi Sibanda,  Sikander Raza, Brian Vitori, Tendai Chatara, Natsai M’shangwe, Shingirai Masakadza, Timycen Maruma, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Tinashe Panyangara

You Might Also Like

Comments

Take our Survey

We value your opinion! Take a moment to complete our survey