Harare
Zimbabwe have taken a bold step against favourites Pakistan by selecting five uncapped players for the two-match Test series between the two sides that begins from Thursday.
According to the ICC, Luke Jongwe, Richard Ngarava, Roy Kaia, Milton Shumba, and Tanaka Chivanga have all been named in the 16-player Test match squad for the Pakistan series.
Jongwe has managed to secure a berth in the squad after his performance in the recently-concluded T20I series with Pakistan, where he emerged as the highest wicket-taker, impressed the selectors.
Jongwe had taken nine wickets throughout the three-match series.
Brendan Taylor has been recalled to the squad after missing out on Zimbabwe’s last Test series against Afghanistan in the UAE because of health issues. His inclusion in the squad will provide some boost to Zimbabwe.
A veteran of 31 Test matches, he has scored six centuries and 11 centuries from 199 ODIs.
The injury-hit hosts will be missing Craig Ervine and Wesley Madhevere; Ervine is out with a calf injury while Madhevere, who scored a half-century in the final T20I, is sidelined with a hamstring injury.
Pakistan-born Zimbabwe cricketer Sikandar Raza will miss out the Test series as well since he is receiving treatment for a bone marrow infection.
The first Test between the two sides will be played on Thursday, 29 April in Harare.
Squad: Sean Williams (c), Regis Chakabva, Tendai Chisoro, Tanaka Chivanga, Luke Jongwe, Roy Kaia, Kevin Kasuza, Wellington Masakadza, Prince Masvaure, Tarisai Musakanda, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Milton Shumba, Brendan Taylor, Donald Tiripano
Members of the Pakistan Test squad have gathered in Harare after the T20 series win against Zimbabwe. The T20 squad members will start going home today.
Eleven members of the Test squad from Pakistan arrived in Zimbabwe on April 21. They joined the rest of the squad after getting tested for COVID-19 and a five-day isolation period. The cricketers were, meanwhile, training separately.
A series of two Test matches will be played between Pakistan and Zimbabwe, with the first Test starting from April 29.
This will mark the first instance of the two sides facing off in the pinnacle format of the game since September 2013. This was also Pakistan’s last Test on Zimbabwean soil.
According to a PCB statement, the two Tests will start at 12:30pm. The second Test will commence on 7 May.
Pakistan is the first men’s international cricket side to play in Zimbabwe in the post-COVID-19 era.
Since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Pakistani team has toured England and New Zealand, besides hosting Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Pakistan Shaheens also toured New Zealand alongside the men’s side, while the women’s sides visited South Africa and Zimbabwe, the tour that was curtailed due to suspension in flight operations.
Next month, the Pakistan U19 squad will tour Bangladesh for a four-day and five 50-over-side matches.
Zimbabwe last hosted an international series – a two-Test series against Sri Lanka – in January 2020.—Agencies
