Zimbabwe have announced their 15-member squad for the ICC Mens Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023 to be played across four venues in Harare and Bulawayo from June 18-July 9, with wicketkeeper-batter Joylord Gumbie being the only uncapped player.
Zimbabwe have also named their main players in captain Craig Ervine, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams, Tendai Chatara, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Ryan Burl and Wesley Madhevere for the 10-team qualifying contest.
Spinner Wellington Masakadza, wicketkeeper-batter Clive Madande and opening batter Innocent Kaia will also be looking to play influential roles in the campaign. From the competition, the finalists will clinch remaining two spots for the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023, to be played in India in October-November.
Zimbabwe will face two-time World Cup winners West Indies, the Netherlands, Nepal and the United States of America (USA) in Group A of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023. 1996 World Cup winners Sri Lanka, Ireland, Scotland, Oman and the United Arab Emirates make up Group B.
The hosts will play Nepal in the opening match of the tournament at Harare Sports Club on June 18, before entertaining the Netherlands at the same venue two days later. On June 24, Zimbabwe and the West Indies will lock horns at Harare Sports Club, followed by their last group fixture against the USA at the same venue on June 26.
The top three from each group will progress to the Super Six stage where each team will play three matches against the sides they did not meet in the group stage.
All points won in the groups will be carried over to the Super Six stage, apart from those gained against the bottom two from each group, following which the finalists will be decided and secure their ticket to the ODI World Cup in India.
The ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier is the culmination of four years of hard-fought competition and brings together the bottom five teams from the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Super League, three automatic qualifiers from the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup League Two and two teams who gained entry from the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup Qualifier Playoff.
Zimbabwe squad: Ryan Burl, Tendai Chatara, Craig Ervine, Bradley Evans, Joylord Gumbie, Luke Jongwe, Innocent Kaia, Clive Madande, Wesley Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Sikandar Raza and Sean Williams
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