The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
TOP order batsman, Takudzwanashe Kaitano is most likely to make his debut when Zimbabwe head into the three-match One Day International series against Sri Lanka that gets underway at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium in Kandy today searching for the much needed points.
The matches are part of the International Cricket Council’s Cricket World Cup Super League. Kaitano has played one Test for Zimbabwe after making his debut against Bangladesh in Harare last year and with the way Chevrons interim captain Craig Ervine spoke, the 28-year-old is in line to play his first ODI against Sri Lanka.
“In terms of the batting, we have Kaitano so there is potential for him to open the batting and just to play around with a few combinations in the middle depending on the situation of the game,’’ said Ervine.
Ervine was part of the Zimbabwean team that won the historic series against Sri Lanka in the Asian country. He expressed the desire to replicate what they achieved in 2017.
“We definitely like to repeat that, I know that we had maybe slightly different plans and probably a different team back then and it was also different conditions playing in Hambantota but I do feel that we need to come here with the same mindset that we want to win and not just here to compete,’’ Ervine said.
The left hander is one of the experienced players in the team with the others being Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Tendai Chatara, Blessing Muzarabani and Regis Chakabva.
Zimbabwe go into today’s match without coach Lalchand Rajput who tested positive to Covid-19 on arrival in Sri Lanka from India last month, which saw him go into quarantine in Colombo, while the rest of the Zimbabwean squad proceeded to Kandy where they were in isolation for three days as part of the bio-secure bubble protocols ahead of the three-match ODIs.
Yesterday, Zimbabwe Cricket media manager, Darlington Majonga said Rajput will definitely miss today’s match, with his technical team, led by acting coach Stuart Matsikenyeri running the show in his absence.
Zimbabwe squad for Sri Lanka tour: Craig Ervine (captain), Ryan Burl, Regis Chakabva, Tendai Chatara, Luke Jongwe, Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Clive Madande, Wessley Madhevere, Wellington Masakadza, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, Sikandar Raza, Milton Shumba, Sean Williams
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