Daily Times

HARARE: With Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl returning for national duty after their franchise commitments and Sean Williams, Tendai Chatara and Blessing Muzarabani back from their injuries, Zimbabwe have named a full-strength squad for their upcoming ODI Super League series against Netherlands. Raza, Burl, Williams, Chatara and Muzarabani all missed the two-Test series against West Indies in Bulawayo last month, and Zimbabwe lost that 1-0, drawing the rain-affected first Test and going down by an innings and four runs in the second.

While Raza has been busy with Lahore Qalandars at the PSL, which will get over tomorrow, Burl was away playing for Sylhet Strikers in the BPL first and then for Rhinos and Northerns in Zimbabwe. As for Muzarabani, he had been out since last November with a recurrence of an old quad muscle injury, while Williams and Chatara both suffered injuries during the white-ball series against Ireland in January — Williams fractured a finger and Chatara picked up a thigh-muscle injury. “It’s great to have the whole team back and everyone fighting fit,” head coach Dave Houghton said in a Zimbabwe Cricket statement. “It’s naturally our intention to win the series — however, in doing so, it is also an opportunity to try out different combinations to achieve that goal, with an eye on the upcoming World Cup qualifier tournament.”

The World Cup qualifiers will take place in Zimbabwe from June 18 to July 9. Zimbabwe and Netherlands are both out of the race for direct qualification – the top-eight sides, including hosts India, get in automatically – they would want to get their best game going in the lead-up to the qualifiers.

Zimbabwe squad for ODIs vs Netherlands: Craig Ervine (capt), Gary Ballance, Ryan Burl, Tendai Chatara, Brad Evans, Innocent Kaia, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Wellington Masakadza, Brandon Mavuta, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams.

ODI series schedule

1st ODI — March 21

2nd ODI — March 23

3rd ODI — March 25

All games to be played at Harare Sports Club.