Zim cricket team off to Sri Lanka

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The Zimbabwe national cricket team is expected to leave for the Twenty-20 World Cup in Sri Lanka tomorrow amid high hopes it surpasses the nation’s dreams this time around.

The Zimbabwe national cricket team is expected to leave for the Twenty-20 World Cup in Sri Lanka tomorrow amid high hopes it surpasses the nation’s dreams this time around.

REPORT BY MICHAEL MADYIRA The team plays warm-up matches against Ireland and Bangladesh on Thursday and Saturday respectively, before engaging hosts Sri Lanka in the tournament opener on September 18 at Mahinda Rajapaksa International Stadium in Hambantota.

  Three days later, Zimbabwe completes its Group C fixtures against South Africa at the same venue.

  This would be Zimbabwe’s third appearance at the T-20 World Cup, having participated in the inaugural edition in South Africa in 2007 and two years ago in the West Indies.

  Having failed to get past the group stages in the previous editions, the 15-member squad, captained by wicketkeeper-batsman, Brendan Taylor, would be out to improve their outing. Last week they were without head coach Alan Butcher who had returned home in England for a family bereavement.

  The team:

Full name: Prosper Utseya Born: March 26 1985, Harare Playing role: Bowler Batting style: Right-hand bat Bowling style: Right-arm offbreak Twenty20 debut: Bangladesh v Zimbabwe at Khulna, Nov 28 2006 Last Twenty20: Zimbabwe XI v South Africa XI at Harare, Jun 24 2012 T20I debut: Bangladesh v Zimbabwe at Khulna, Nov 28 2006 Last T20I: New Zealand v Zimbabwe at Hamilton, Feb 14 2012

 

Full name: Brendan Ross Murray Taylor (Captain) Born: February 6 1986, Harare Playing role: Wicketkeeper batsman Batting style: Right-hand bat Bowling style: Right-arm offbreak Fielding position: Wicketkeeper Twenty20 debut: Eagles v Zimbabweans at Kimberley, Sep 13 2006 Last Twenty20: Nagenahira Nagas v Uthura Rudras at Colombo (RPS), Aug 26 2012 T20I debut: Bangladesh v Zimbabwe at Khulna, Nov 28 2006 Last T20I: New Zealand v Zimbabwe at Hamilton, Feb 14 2012

 

Full name: Alexander Graeme Cremer Born: September 19 1986, Harare Playing role: Bowler Batting style: Right-hand bat Bowling style: Legbreak googly Twenty20 debut: Northerns (Zimbabwe) v Southerns at Harare, Mar 19 2008 Last Twenty20: Zimbabwe XI v South Africa XI at Harare, Jun 24 2012 T20I debut: Canada v Zimbabwe at King City (NW), Oct 13 2008 Last T20I South Africa v Zimbabwe at Kimberley, Oct 10 2010

 

Full name: Elton Chigumbura Born: March 14, 1986, Kwekwe, Midlands Playing role: Allrounder Batting style: Right-hand bat Bowling style: Right-arm fast-medium Twenty20 debut: Eagles v Zimbabweans at Kimberley, Sep 13 2006 Last Twenty20: Zimbabwe XI v South Africa XI at Harare, Jun 24 2012 T20I debut: Bangladesh v Zimbabwe at Khulna, Nov 28 2006 Last T20I: New Zealand v Zimbabwe at Hamilton, Feb 14 2012

 

Full name: Craig Richard Ervine Born:  August 19 1985, Harare Playing role: Middle-order batsman Batting style: Left-hand bat Bowling style: Right-arm offbreak Twenty20 debut: Southern Rocks v Desert Vipers at Harare, Feb 13 2010 Last Twenty20: Zimbabwe XI v Bangladesh XI at Harare, Jun 21 2012 T20I debut: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe at Providence, May 3 2010 Last T20I: Zimbabwe v India at Harare, Jun 12 2010

 

Full name: Kyle Malcolm Jarvis Born: February 16 1989, Harare Current age: 23 years 204 days Batting style:  Right-hand bat Bowling style:  Right-arm fast-medium Twenty20 debut:  Zimbabwe v Pakistan at Harare, Sep 16 2011 Last Twenty20:  Zimbabwe XI v South Africa XI at Harare, Jun 24 2012 T20I debut: Zimbabwe v Pakistan at Harare, Sep 16 2011 Last T20I: New Zealand v Zimbabwe at Hamilton, Feb 14 2012

 

Full name:  Hamilton Masakadza Born:  August 9 1983, Harare Batting style:  Right-hand bat Bowling style:  Right-arm medium Twenty20 debut:  Eagles v Zimbabweans at Kimberley, Sep 13 2006 Last Twenty20:  Zimbabwe XI v South Africa XI at Harare, Jun 24 2012 T20I debut:  Bangladesh v Zimbabwe at Khulna, Nov 28 2006 Last T20I:  New Zealand v Zimbabwe at Hamilton, Feb 14 2012

 

Full name :Stuart Matsikenyeri Born: May 3 1983, Harare Batting style:  Right-hand bat Bowling style:  Right-arm offbreak Twenty20 debut: Eagles v Zimbabweans at Kimberley, Sep 13 2006 Last Twenty20: Zimbabwe XI v South Africa XI at Harare, Jun 24 2012 T20I debut: Bangladesh v Zimbabwe at Khulna, Nov 28 2006 Last T20I: New Zealand v Zimbabwe at Hamilton, Feb 14 2012

 

Full name: Christopher Bobby Mpofu Born: November 27 1985, Plumtree, Matabeleland Playing role: Bowler Batting style:  Right-hand bat Bowling style:  Right-arm fast-medium Twenty20 debut: Easterns (Zimbabwe) v Westerns at Harare, Mar 19 2008 Last Twenty20: Zimbabwe XI v South Africa XI at Harare, Jun 24 2012 T20I debut: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe at King City (NW), Oct 10 2008 Last T20I Zimbabwe v New Zealand at Harare, Oct 17 2011