What Pakistan, Australia and Zimbabwe stand to gain from the upcoming T20I tri-series

Zimbabwe

Dark clouds looming over Zimbabwe Cricket’s future seem quite persistent and are not showing any intentions of clearing any time soon. The player-board altercation has aggravated, leaving hollow voids in an ever-declining Zimbabwean team. The dilemma is so intense and deep-rooted that two days before the start of the series, the team’s skipper hasn’t been announced.

Despite taking Zimbabwe to remarkable success and also being their highest wicket-taker in T20Is, Graeme Cremer was sacked from the team’s captaincy three months earlier. Now he has also been shelved from the squad that takes part in the tri-nation series. He is joined by a quartet of Zimbabwean stars who have been left out too, namely: Brendan Taylor, Sean Williams, Craig Ervine and Sikandar Raza, who will be featuring for Montreal Tigers in Global T20 Canada.

The aforementioned quintet has boycotted the national side over Zimbabwe Cricket Board’s inability of paying their outstanding salaries and match fees, dating back to their tour of Sri Lanka in 2017. It is also feared that not everyone named in the squad may be willing to play since several other players have also cited payment concerns, which the consultant to Zimbabwe Cricket stated would be settled by 25th July.

Since the WT20 in 2016, Zimbabwe has featured in a mere 5 T20Is, of which they miserably lost two to Afghanistan. A lot of responsibility, hence, rests on experienced shoulders like Elton Chigumbura and Hamilton Masakadza to instil some life into this fainting Zimbabwean team. They will be looking to make the most of their favourable home conditions and ensure that they hunt down a couple of upsets in the tournament rather than bowing down to the giants of this format.

Squad: Cephas Zhuwao, Chamu Chibhabha, Hamilton Masakadza, Solomon Mire, Tarisai Musakanda, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Elton Chigumbura, Malcolm Waller, Brian Chari, Peter Moor, Donald Tiripano, Wellington Masakadza, Tendai Chisoro, Blessing Muzarabani, Ryan Murray, Kyle Jarvis, Chris Mpofu, Prince Masvaure, John Nyumbu, Ryan Burl, Brandon Mavuta, Rugare Magarira.