Zim players fine-tune for Bangladesh tour

Sport
Zimbabwe cricket players are currently competing in the domestic Pro 50 championships as they fine-tune for the upcoming tour of Bangladesh.

BY SPORTS REPORTER

Zimbabwe cricket players are currently competing in the domestic Pro 50 championships as they fine-tune for the upcoming tour of Bangladesh.

The tour, consisting of one Test, three ODIs and two T20s matches, will run from February 18 to March 11.

With limited time to prepare for the tour the Zimbabwe team is not going to have camp, but will rather use the domestic one-day competition to allow the players to have the much-needed game time.

A bulk of the players that featured in the Test are likely going to be retained in the Lalchand Rajput-coached side when the final squad is named in the next few days.

With fast bowler Kyle Jarvis ruled out by injury, reports suggest that Test captain Sean Williams may also miss the Test encounter as his wife Chantelle is pregnant and is expecting around the time the match begins.

Williams is expected to join the squad for the ODI and T20 series.

ODI captain Chamu Chibhabha, who sat out the Test series against Sri Lanka, will lead the team for the first time since his appointment last month.

Worrying though is Chibhabha’s lack of form for Eagles with the bat on the domestic scene after he managed 42 and 9 runs in back-to-back fixtures against Mountaineers last week.

In comparison, Williams has been in scintillating form for Tuskers scoring two half centuries as well as grabbing nine wickets in three matches last week.

Rhinos’ PJ Moor, who was overlooked for the Tests against Sri Lanka, could also bounce back for the shorter version of the game as well as Ryan Burl.

Kevin Kasuza, who got injured twice in the previous assignment is a major boost for Zimbabwe as he featured for Mountaineers last week managing a single half century.

There are also rumours suggesting that Under-19 vice-captain Wesley Madhevere who shone at the World Cup and made his first class debut for Eagles yesterday could also gate-crash into the team for the Bangladesh tour.

Zimbabwe will be looking for their first Test win since they beat Bangladesh in their last tour of the country in 2018.

The team leaves for Bangladesh this week.