Zimbabwe announced their 17-member squad for the upcoming two-match Test series against Afghanistanwill start on December 26th. This series marks a historic milestone for Zimbabwean cricket as the nation prepares to host its first Boxing Day Test in 28 years and the opening Test of the New Year.
Craig Ervine will lead Zimbabwe’s Test team
Veteran batsman Craig Ervin will lead the squad, which features seven uncapped players. Newcomers open batter Ben Curranmiddle-order batsman Jonathan Campbell, game batsmen Tadiwanase Marumani and Nyasa Mayavo, and pace bowlers Trevor Gwandu, Takudzwa Chataira and Newman Nyamhuri. Their inclusion underlines Zimbabwe’s focus on nurturing young talent while balancing the squad with experienced players.
First Boxing Day Test for Zimbabwe at home since 1996
The first Test will be played at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo from 26 December, followed by the New Year Test scheduled to start on 2 January 2025. This series also marks Zimbabwe’s return to the Boxing Day Test at home for the first time since 1996 when they faced England. Over the years, Zimbabwe have only participated in Boxing Day Tests overseas, with notable appearances in New Zealand in 2000 and South Africa in 2017.
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The Zimbabwe team has a mix of experienced players like Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams and Blessing Muzarabani along with promising new talent. The combination of experience and youth is expected to form a strong base for the hosts as they aim to make the most of the historic occasion.
Afghanistan announced their Test squad for the upcoming series on Monday (December 16), marking the return of starrer Rashid Khan.
Zimbabwe squad for Test series against Afghanistan
Craig Ervine (c), Ben Curran, Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Takudzwa Chataira, Joylord Gumbie, Trevor Gwandu, Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Brandon Mavuta, Nyasha Mayavo, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard N Ngarava Si Newman, Sean Williams .
