Setting the Team For T20 Pre Qualifiers & T20 World Cup

[The Robot]

Zimbabwe has been relegated to T20 Pre Qualifiers for not finishing among the top 8 for direct qualification & top 10 for playing the group stage qualifiers in the upcomming T20 World Cup to be held in Australia in 2020

Zimbabwe placed at 12 and will feature in pre qualifiers along with
13 other teams Scotland,Netherlands,Hong Kong,Oman,Ireland 2 from ( Asia, Africa, America), 1 each from East Asia-Pacific &
Europe

Out of these 14, 6 will play at the qualifiers along with Bangladesh and Sri Lanka and 4 teams will qualify for Super 12 stage the main event


T20 format is known to be the most surprising format as no teams are seen as favourite in this game, any team can create an upset in this shortest format.

Zimbabwe hasent been a great T20 side and at present they needs to set the team before the pre qualifiers to be held in october

CHOICE OF CAPTAIN : Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams

OPENING BATSMAN GROUP CHOICES:

T Kamhukunkamwe, T Musakanda, Solomon Mire, Wesley Madhevere ( allrounder), Greig Dollar


MIDDLE ORDER CHOICES :

Peter Moor, Ryan Murray, P Masvaure, K Kasuza

Automatic Pick : Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams, Brendan Taylor, H Masakadza

LOWER ORDER CHOICES :

Luke Jongwe, Tony Munyonga, Faraz Akram, W Mashinge

SPINNERS CHOICE :

G Cremer, B Mavuta, R Magarira, T Chisoro

PACE BOWLERS :

Danial Jackiel, T Chatara, D Tiripano, N Madziva, Kyle Jarvis, E Masuko, B Diplock

Not Under Considerstion : E Chigumbura, C Chibhabha, C Ervine, C Mpofu, M Waller, C Zhuwao, T Maruma

[CrimsonAvenger]

As things stand now:

H Masakadza
T Musakanda
B Taylor
S Williams
S Raza
P Moor
S Mire
G Cremer
T Chatara
K Jarvis
D Jakiel

T Chisoro
T Kamunhukamwe / R Murray
C Mpofu
C Chibhabha / C Zhuwao

[Nanctus]

1. Zhuwao
2. Masakadza
3. Taylor
4. Williams
5. Raza
6. Moor
7. Mire
8. Chisoro/(Seam Bowler, not sure who)
9. Cremer
10.Jarvis
11.Chatara

12. Waller*
13. Madziva
14. Jackiel (from what you guys have said in the other thread, otherwise possibly Tiripano)
15. Ervine**

*I know a lot of you guys would disagree with Waller and I understand why, but he actually (from what I've seen from Zimbabwe's sparse T20 appearances) has played some really good innings and I would like to have him in the squad partially because I don't want too much experimentation to lead to a WCQ repeat.

**I know Ervine isn't really a T20 player but we have too many right handers in a format dominated by leg-spinners. I would like him in the squad for that, but if he's in form I think he is still super classy and could be a massive boost if needed.

I feel like I'm missing Mavuta, but I would like Chisoro in the side so it's hard to fit him in at the moment.

[Nanctus]

Just realised I forgot Musakanda, so that kind of changes things. He should probably be in the starting XI, maybe at 6 or opening like CrimsonAvenger has him.

Was that Africa Cup he did really well in a T20 or 50 over competition by the way?

[TapsC]

I would actually play Elton Waller and Zhuwao in the October qualifiers. Those are 3 players who have got potential to blow away minnows. Mpofu can contribute too. T20 is an experience game for me. There is just something about youngsters and struggling against small teams in shorter formats. The pressure easily gets to them and they try smack every ball out the park with minimal success.

We see it the other way round when India sends a 3rd team packed with youngsters and we sneak in a victory.

Zhuwao
Mire
Hami
BT
Raza
Waller
PJ
Cremer
Chisoro
Chatara
Mpofu

Musakanda
Jarvis
Williams
Mavuta
Elton

The team should change as the level of opposition improves.

[Stoneman Returns]

Elton, Zhuwao & Waller will smash the minnows is huge expectation, infact Zhuwao was brought in 50 over qualifiers and played most of the games but he emerged as a big failure and later he dropped along with Waller.

T Kamhukunkamwe
T Musakanda / H Masakadza
B Taylor
S Raza
S Williams (c)
P Moor
T Munyonga
L Jongwe
G Cremer
T Chatara
D Jakiel

Inconsistent Masakadza should be now 2nd opener in T20s, its game for fresh legs

Doesnt find any place or any reason for including Zhuwao, Chibhabha, Waller, Elton, Mpofu

[eugene]

I think we should focus on the youths.

[jaybro]

Hard to know what exactly is the best Zim t20 XI and if going with experience over youth is best in this situation with qualification and the WC just around the corner. In ODI's there definitely needs to be one eye on bringing through some young blood into the side and possibly in Tests as well, but for the qualifiers the best side needs to be picked.

Not sure how many t20's Zimbabwe will play prior to the qualifiers but those matches would obviously be the best time to try out some different guys to see how they go.

Openers: The guys I'd be looking at are Solomon Mire, Cephas Zhuwao, Hamilton Masakadza & Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, can't see any other player who would be a viable option unless you wanted to open with Tari or PJ. I'd be tempted to open with Mire & Zhuwao and let them go nuts up top with Hamilton coming in at 3, but I would like to see TK get a chance prior to the Qualifiers to see what he can do.

Middle Order: The middle order picks itself really with BT, Williams & Raza the only discussion is which positions to play them in, if I'm playing Hamilton at 3 then BT would be 4 and Williams then Raza coming in next. Then it's a toss up between PJ, Tari and possibly Murray to see who comes in at 7. Moor has his big hitting abilities but is naturally a slow starter and struggles to pick up singles, whilst Tari has all the skills and shots but seldom does he perform on the international stage. I'd like to give all three guys a chance to prove their worth but at this point I'd probably go with Tari on potential.

Spinners: Obviously having Raza and Williams in the side they offer some good spin options but with leg spin proving so effective in the shortest format the two guys who standout are Cremer & Mavuta. Cremer has a great t20 record so he is the clear No.1 spinner but I'd take Mavuta as the 2nd spinner ahead of Chisoro or Wellington, not sure if I'd play the 2 leggies in the same match, I guess that all depends on the surface.

Seamers: Don't really think there are any Zimbabwean seamers that I would say suit this format or who have done really well in the past, generally the type of seam bowlers who do well in t20 cricket are ones who are really fast or who bowl with great variation with lots of slower balls and cutters, Zimbabwe have none of these types. Most of Zimbabwe's seam bowlers are medium fast line and length type of guys although Mpofu has shown in recent times he has developed some good variations so he is the 1st seamer picked. Jarvis & Chatara probably get a start as they're the two 'premier' seamers in the country whilst I'd take Neville Madziva as the 4th seamer due to his ability to bowl well at the depth and his batting can be useful. I would like to see how Carl Mumba goes in this format, but at this point he has little experience in the t20 game. Forum favourite Daniel Jakiel is a 'smokey' due to his apparent 'Malinga' type action and ability to bowl good yorkers at decent pace, although it would be hard to pluck a club cricketer out of Zimbabwe and make into an International quality bowler.

If I'm picking the squad today this is how I would go

Zhuwao
Mire
Hamilton
BT
Williams
Raza
Tari
Cremer
Mavuta
Jarvis
Mpofu

Chatara
Madziva
Moor
Murray

Players I'd like to test prior to the tournament

Kamunhukamwe
Mashinge
Jongwe
Jakiel
Magarira

[Andybligzz]

Yeh jaybro I think you got it nailed down man , I’d go the exact same as you . Hard to pick a team when you never get to play though , I really don’t get why we aren’t playing Nepal / Scotland / Ireland / Kenya just for practice . I believe every nation has t20i status now no matter where you are ranked ? Be a chance to get some big scores and get some confidence in this group.

[jaybro]

Yeh jaybro I think you got it nailed down man , I’d go the exact same as you . Hard to pick a team when you never get to play though , I really don’t get why we aren’t playing Nepal / Scotland / Ireland / Kenya just for practice . I believe every nation has t20i status now no matter where you are ranked ? Be a chance to get some big scores and get some confidence in this group.

There’s definitely 3 t20’s v Ireland and with tours against India & the Windies booked we might see some more fixtures. You’d think t20’s would be the easiest and cheapest fixtures to host so it shouldn’t be too hard to organise so extra matches, maybe ZC could call in a couple of favours of either South Africa or India to send some A teams or something.