Zimbabwe unveil 15-man team for 2026 T20 World Cup

Zimbabwe has secured a ticket in the 2019 T20 World Cup following a flawless performance in the Africa Qualifier.

On Friday, January 2, they announced a 15-member squad for the flagship event, which will take place in India and Sri Lanka.

Sikandar Raza, a star all-rounder, will skipper the Chevrons, who failed to qualify for the previous tournament in 2024.

The Zimbabwe squad has an excellent mix of youth and experience. All eyes will be on Brian Bennett, who has established himself as one of Africa’s most exciting possibilities. Veteran wicketkeeper-batsman Brendan Taylor will also eager to show off his talent in what may be his final outing in a major ICC event.

The seam-bowling attack, led by Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava, might pose a significant challenge if the conditions improve. Meanwhile, experienced leg-spinner Graeme Cremer will play an important role, since the conditions are predicted to favour spinners. He is expected to play alongside Wellington Masakadza as Zimbabwe’s frontline tweaker.

In addition to Taylor, Clive Madande has been called up to the wicketkeeping squad. He was the best scorer in Zimbabwe’s local tournament, scoring 152 runs in four games with an average of 76 and a strike rate of 138.18. Ryan Burl is another batter to watch out for in Zimbabwe’s lineup. The hard-hitting batter can also provide useful leg-spin.

Despite the existence of some talented players, the success of Zimbabwe’s campaign would be heavily dependent on Sikandar Raza’s performance.

Zimbabwe is in Group B, along with Ireland, Oman, and past winners Australia and Sri Lanka. They will meet Oman on February 9 to begin their campaign at the 20-team tournament. Zimbabwe will play all of its group games in Sri Lanka.