03 July,2024 02:12 PM IST | Harare | mid-day online correspondent
Team India gather outside the airport (Pic: @ZimCricketv/X)
Zimbabwe Cricket welcomed T20 World Cup 2024 champions India following their arrival at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport for the five-match IND vs ZIM T20I series starting on Saturday.
The first match of the IND vs ZIM T20I series will be played on July 6 at the Harare Sports Club. The last T20I will be played on July 14 at the same venue, where all matches will be held.
The head coach for India during this tour would be former cricketer and the National Cricket Academy (NCA) chief VVS Laxman.
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Zimbabwe Cricket took to social media and shared a video where the Men in Blue were seen coming out of the airport with their luggage.
"We welcome T20 World Cup champions India," the Zimbabwe Cricket board wrote on X.
Opener Shubman Gill has been named as the captain for the tour.
The squad features just two players from the main squad for the T20 World Cup: Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson. The rest of the squad who are part of T20 WC has been rested.
The likes of Rinku Singh, Avesh Khan and Khaleel Ahmed who are in the reserves player list of the T20 World Cup touring party, also have been added to the squad.
Promising young players who have proven themselves in the Indian Premier League and domestic arena over the past 12 months have received multiple call-ups from India.
Zimbabwe Cricket on Monday announced the squad for their upcoming series against the T20 World Cup 2024 champions, India.
In the five-match T20I series, Zimbabwe have named a young squad to face India, who will miss a majority of their key players as well.
The Belgian-born Antum Naqvi has been named in the squad, but his inclusion is subject to the confirmation of his citizenship status.
In the domestic circuit, he boasts an impressive strike rate of 146.80 in the T20 format. In first-class cricket, he has an impressive average of 72.00, and in List-A cricket, he boasts an exceptional average of 73.42, which underlines his massive potential before he steps at the international level.
After failing to qualify for the recently concluded T20 World Cup 2024, Zimbabwe will aim to rebuild under new head coach Justin Sammons. Zimbabwe have picked a young squad with an average age of 27, and that has a total of 558 T20I appearances under their belt.
Sikandar Raza, at 38, will continue to lead the side. With 86 matches to his name, he is Zimbabwe's most experienced player, followed by 29-year-old Luke Jongwe, who has made 63 appearances.
India's squad for T20I series against Zimbabwe: Shubman Gill (c), Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Sanju Samson (wk), Dhruv Jurel (wk), Nitish Reddy, Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar and Tushar Deshpande.
Zimbabwe Squad for T20I Series against India: Sikandar Raza (c), Akram Faraz, Bennett Brian, Campbell Johnathan, Chatara Tendai, Jongwe Luke, Kaia Innocent, Madande Clive, Madhevere Wessly, Marumani Tadiwanashe, Masakadza Wellington, Mavuta Brandon, Muzarabani Blessing, Myers Dion, Naqvi Antum, Ngarava Richard, Shumba Milton.
(With agency inputs)
