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Zimbabwe have named a squad sans Brendan Taylor, Sikandar Raza, Graeme Cremer, Sean Williams for their upcoming T20 triangular series at home against Australia and Pakistan next month. While Raza will be playing in the Global T20 in Canada, Taylor, Cremer, Williams and Craig Ervine were omitted following an ongoing player-board fracas over non-payment of salaries. All five players were also left out of the training squad, named last week, and a practice match against a touring Kenyan side.
Collectively, Zimbabwe’s players, through their newly-reformed association, have demanded that Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) provides them with a payment plan for two months’ outstanding salaries and their match fees dating back to their tour of Sri Lanka in 2017, by June 25, or they would review their availability for the tri-series. Only the five players named above have made themselves unavailable but ESPNcricinfo understands that up to nine players may pull out of the squad.
However, several other senior players were included in the 16-man squad including Kyle Jarvis, Hamilton Masakadza, Elton Chigumbura, Chris Mpofu and Solomon Mire. Blessing Muzarabani, the fast bowler who made his international debut in a Test against South Africa last year, also found a place in the squad, despite not playing in any of the warm-up matches against a touring Kenyan side. Zimbabwe are yet to name a captain after Cremer was sacked following the failed World Cup qualifier campaign in March.
More players could pull out over the next few days, despite assertion from the officials the tri-series will go ahead unaffected. Asked whether he believed the players have fully committed themselves to the tournamwnr , selection convener Walter Chawaguta said: “I believe so. We based our selection on the players that are available. My assumption is that everyone is available and I have no reason to believe otherwise.”
Chawaguta left the door open for Taylor and co. to return to the fold and said they would be considered for selection if they make themselves available. “I don’t think there is any doubt in terms of the quality that we have that has been left out of the squad,” he said. “There are some players that have proven themselves over time and there’s been a massive investment in those players. Our hope is that they avail themselves, and if they do avail themselves then the selectors will have to sit down and see where they fit in in the greater scheme of things. Our hope is that things resolve themselves and those players avail themselves.”
Zimbabwe squad: Cephas Zhuwao, Chamu Chibhabha, Brian Chari, Tarisai Musakanda, Malcolm Waller, PJ Moor, Tendai Chisoro, Kyle Jarvis, Brandon Mavuta, Blessing Muzarabani, Chris Mpofu, Ryan Burl, Solomon Mire, Hamilton Masakadza, Wellington Masakadza, Elton Chigumbura, Ryan Murray
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Firdose Moonda is ESPNcricinfo’s South Africa correspondent
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