Zimbabwe have announced their squad for the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka with veteran Craig Ervine getting the nod but Sean Williams missing out on the spot.
Zimbabwe have announced two squads for the tour of Sri Lanka which starts with the first of the three One-Day Internationals in Colombo on Saturday (January 6, 2024). The two teams will then engage in a three-match Twenty20 International. Zimbabwean selectors have named two teams Craig Ervine and Sikandar Raza as captains for the ODI and T20I teams, respectively. (More Cricket News)
Despite a facing career-threatening injury in his early teens, Ervine has emerged as one of Zimbabwe's most trusted servants. In a career spanning more than two decades, one briefly interrupted by a sabbatical from the national team, the Harare-born has scored 5975 runs (1332 in Tests, 3294 in ODIs and 1349 in T20Is).
Ervine led Zimbabwe for the first time in 2020, in a Test match against Bangladesh, filling in for Sean Williams. He was then promoted as the limited-overs captain in 2021. Zimbabwe will miss the services of injured Williams during the Sri Lanka tour.
The 38-year-old missed Zimbabwe's series against visiting Ireland in December due to an injury. The veteran middle-order batter's return will boost the confidence of a struggling team which lost both the ODIs and T20s, 2-1 and 2-0, respectively, against Ireland at home.
However, Ervine will play under Sikandar Raza during the Sri Lanka vs Zimbabwe T20I series, and vice versa. Raza, another veteran member of the team, has produced some noteworthy performances in the recent past with both bat and ball.
Zimbabwean selectors have added uncapped off-spinner Tapiwa Mufudz fast bowler Faraz Akram, who has already made his T20I debut, in the ODI squad. The T20I squad has three changes -- Brian Bennett, Ainsley Ndlovu and Carl Mumba taking the places of Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Mufudza and Akram. Kaitano, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Milton Shumba and Tony Munyonga -- all part of Zimbabwe's squad for the Ireland series -- are in the ODI squad.
Zimbabwe ODI squad: Craig Ervine (c), Faraz Akran, Ryan Burl, Joylord Gumbie, Luke Jongwe, Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Clive Madande, Wellington Masakadza, Tapiwa Mufudza, Tony Munyonga, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Sikandar Raza, Milton Shumba.
Zimbabwe T20I squad: Sikandar Raza (c), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Craig Ervine, Joylord Gumbie, Luke Jongwe, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Clive Madande, Wellington Masakadza, Carl Mumba, Tony Munyonga, Blessing Muzarabani, Ainsley Ndlovu, Richard Ngarava, Milton Shumba.
Sri Lanka have already announced preliminary squads. Wanindu Hasaranga who missed the both Asia Cup and ODI Cricket World Cup due to injury will return. The spin-bowling all-rounder will lead the national team in the ODIs. In ODIs, veteran batter Kusal Mendis will lead the side.
Sri Lanka ODI squad (preliminary): Kusal Mendis (c), Charith Asalanka (vc), Pathum Nissanka, Avishka Fernando, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Sahan Arachchige, Nuwanidu Fernando, Dasun Shanaka, Kamindu Mendis, Chamika Karunaratne, Janith Liyanage, Wanindu Hasaranga, Maheesh Theekshana, Dilshan Madushanka, Dushmantha Chameera, Dunith Wellalage, Pramod Madushan, Asitha Fernando, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamika Gunasekera.
Sri Lanka T20I squad (preliminary): Wanindu Hasaranga (c), Charith Asalanka (vc), Pathum Nissanaka, Kusal Mendis, Sadeera Samarawickrama, Dasun Shanaka, Angelo Mathews, Dhananjaya de Silva, Maheesh Theekshana, Kusal Janith Perera, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Kamindu Mendis, Dunith Wellalage, Akila Dananjaya, Jeffrey Vandersay, Chamika Karunaratne, Dushmantha Chameera, Dilshan Madushanka, Binura Fernando, Nuwan Thushara, Pramod Madushan, Matheesha Pathirana.
Zimbabwe's Tour Of Sri Lanka 2024 - Full Schedule
1st ODI: January 6, 2024
2nd ODI: January 8, 2024
3rd ODI: January 11, 2024
1st T20I: January 14, 2024
2nd T20I: January 16, 2024
3rd T20I: January 18, 2024
All six games will be played at Colombo's iconic R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium.