Zimbabwe name veteran-heavy squad for historic Australia ODI series
Sikandar Raza leads Zimbabwe in a three-match ODI series against Australia with four players aged 40 or over, as the hosts look to build momentum ahead of co-hosting the 2027 Cricket World Cup.
Yousef Al Marzouqi
Zimbabwe name veteran-heavy squad for historic Australia ODI series
Zimbabwe will field one of the most experienced squads in recent international cricket when they host Australia for a three-match ODI series beginning Tuesday at Harare Sports Club, with four players aged 40 or over selected for the historic encounter.
Sikandar Raza, Zimbabwe's most-capped international cricketer with 314 appearances, will captain the side after Richard Ngarava was ruled out due to a back complaint. The 40-year-old Pakistani-born all-rounder will be hoping to replicate the team's memorable 23-run victory over Australia at the T20 World Cup in February, when Zimbabwe stunned the Australians at R. Premadasa Stadium in Colombo in only the second T20 international win between the nations.
In that upset triumph, fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani delivered a Player of the Match performance with figures of 4 for 17, the best bowling figures for Zimbabwe at a men's T20 World Cup.
Experience takes centre stage
The selection panel has turned to experience for the ODI challenge, recalling Brendan Taylor despite the 40-year-old not having played an ODI in a year. Taylor, who holds the Zimbabwe record for most ODI centuries with 11, sits just 82 runs behind Andy Flower's all-time national record of 6,786 ODI runs, meaning the series could prove historic for the veteran batsman.
Leg-spinner Graeme Cremer will end an eight-year ODI absence, with the player set to turn 40 on September 19 between the second and third matches. The oldest member of the squad remains 41-year-old Craig Ervine, born in August 1985, who continues to provide stability in the middle order.
Historic series with eyes on 2027
The series carries added significance as Australia's first tour to Zimbabwe in 12 years, highlighting the substantial gaps in bilateral cricket between the two nations. For Zimbabwe, the matches represent crucial preparation as they gear up to co-host the 2027 ICC Men's Cricket World Cup alongside South Africa and Namibia.
The hosts will draw inspiration from their previous ODI victory over Australia at the same Harare venue in 2014, when they defeated the visitors by three wickets with Elton Chigumbura scoring an unbeaten 52. That triumph ended a 31-year drought against Australia in ODI cricket.
The opening match takes place on Tuesday, September 15, with Zimbabwe's veteran-laden squad looking to prove that age and experience can triumph over youth when the stakes are highest.
