Zimbabwe includes uncapped Musekiwa and Maposa in T20 World Cup regional qualifier squad

Zimbabwe have added two fresh faces to their squad for the upcoming T20 World Cup regional qualifiers in Kenya. The uncapped duo of allrounder Tashinga Musekiwa and fast bowler Tinotenda Maposa have been given a chance to prove themselves and earn a spot in the main tournament in 2026. Additionally, fast bowler Trevor Gwandu has been recalled to the 15-man squad, which also includes 11 players from the series against India in July. The selectors have high hopes for these players as they look to strengthen their team and make a mark in the upcoming qualifiers.

Zimbabwe go into the six-team T20 World Cup Africa Sub-Regional Qualifier B under new head coach Justin Sammons with a young squad with an average age of 26, a Zimbabwe Cricket release said. The team will be led by the experienced Sikandar Raza. The qualifier also includes Gambia, Kenya, Mozambique, Rwanda and the Seychelles. The top two sides from these will progress to the regional final to be joined by Namibia and Uganda.

Musekiwa, 24, has just 21 T20s to his name - apart from one first-class game and 29 one-dayers - for Mid West Rhinos. His T20 high score is an unbeaten 38 and his best figures are 3 for 24 out of his total wickets tally of 10. He most recently played for Zimbabwe Emerging against the South Africa Emerging side in two one-dayers, and scored an unbeaten 51 in the second.

Maposa, 21, has featured in five first-class games for 14 wickets and is yet to play white-ball games in domestic cricket. His last series was the Logan Cup in which he played four red-ball games for Matabeleland Tuskers in January-February for 12 wickets with one five-for.

"We have picked a young squad that is good enough to make us qualify and I am confident they will deliver in Kenya," convener of selectors David Mutendera said in the release. "If you look at the direction we are taking, with the 2026 T20 World Cup and the future in mind, we have been blooding in youngsters who will definitely do the job like they did in winning single matches against Bangladesh and India in our last two series.

"Raza is still there for now, but we had to start the process of building a younger team for the future."

Gwandu makes a return having last played for Zimbabwe in December 2023, against Ireland at home. After playing the domestic T20 competition for Southern Rocks in March this year, he too played for Zimbabwe Emerging, but in the African Games in Accra, Ghana, where Zimbabwe won the tournament.

Zimbabwe squad

Raza Sikandar (cat), Akram Faraz, Bennett Brian, Burl Ryan, Gwandu Trevor, Madande Clive, Madhevere Wessly, Maposa Tinotenda, Marumani Tadiwanashe, Masakadza Wellington, Mavuta Brandon, Musekiwa Tashinga, Muzarabani Blessing, Myers Dion, Ngarava Richard