Harare [Zimbabwe], July 12 : The excitement is building up at a rapid pace as the highly anticipated Zim Afro T10 is set to commence in less than two weeks, with the opening match of the tournament scheduled for July 20. A total of five squads will compete for the ultimate glory in the inaugural edition of the competition, which marks franchise cricket's first foray into Zimbabwe.
As per the official press release, star all-rounder Sikandar Raza, who will turn out for the Bulawayo Braves in the tournament, said that "The Zim Afro T10 will help the players in Zimbabwe." Raza explained that franchise cricket has helped him raise his overall standards, which has been reflected in his performances for the Zimbabwean team.
“Zim Afro T10 would always be closer to my heart because this is the first time any franchise tournament is coming to Zimbabwe. What I'm really excited about is that this tournament will help my fellow countrymen to improve their skill sets which will ultimately benefit our national team,” Raza said during a virtual press conference.
Raza further opened up about how franchise cricket, especially T10, has helped him on a personal level. He said, “Cricket leagues have immensely helped me in developing my game, my skills, analysing the situation. Moreover, T10 helps me make a decision quicker and come up with a better solution to execute better. Hence, it’s safe to say that franchise cricket has enhanced my overall abilities as a cricketer courtesy of which I have been able to perform for the national team as well.”
The T10 is the fastest format in the game, and the Zim Afro T10, which has some of the most impactful players in the mix, promises some high-octane action during the Zimbabwean winter. Raza said, “We can expect fast-paced games, a lot of wickets, a lot of runs, a lot of great catches in the tournament. It’s a platform where everybody can showcase their skills, whether you have a ball in hand or bat in hand or even if you're just on the ground. It is such a fast-paced game that you would see that players will have to develop their skills very quickly.”
Meanwhile, the head coach of Bulawayo Braves, Dougie Brown, echoed Raza’s thoughts and said, “ Zim Afro T10 will serve as a platform for young players in Zimbabwe to learn and develop from some of the best players in the world. It's a big opportunity for the players who might not necessarily be at the forefront of Zimbabwe cricket right now, but over the course of time, they are going to be.”
“There's a huge opportunity for everybody, whether they play a big or small part in the tournament. There's so much learning that can take place over the course of the 10 days of the tournament. The competition is about giving the youngsters confidence, about solving problems at that moment, making decisions really smartly, managing the game really quickly,” he added.
The squad of Durban Qalandars: Asif Ali, Mohammad Amir, George Linde, Hazratullah Zazai, Tim Seifert, Sisanda Magala, Hilton Cartwright, Mirza Tahir Baig, Tayyab Abbas, Craig Ervine, Tendai Chatara, Brad Evans, Clive Madande, Nick Welch, and Andre Fletcher.
Squad of CapeTown Samp Army: Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Shaun Williams, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Maheesh Theekshana, Sheldon Cottrell, Karim Janat, Chamika Karunaratne, Peter Hazlogou, Matthew Breetzke, Richard Ngarava, Cephas Zhuwao, Hamilton Masakadza, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe, Parthiv Patel, Mohammad Irfan, and Stuart Binny.
The squad of Harare Hurricanes: Eoin Morgan, Mohammad Nabi, Evin Lewis, Robin Uthappa, Donovan Ferreira, Shahzawaz Dahani, Duan Jansen, Samit Patel, Kevin Koththigoda, Christopher Mpofu, Regis Chakabva, Luke Jonwe, Brandon Mavuta, Tashinga Mushiwa, Irfan Pathan, Khalid Shah, and S Sreesanth.
The squad of Bulawayo Braves: Sikandar Raza, Taskin Ahmed, Ashton Turner, Tymal Mills, Thisara Perera, Ben McDermott, Beau Webster, Patrick Dooley, Kobe Herft, Ryan Burl, Timycen Maruma, Joylord Gumbie, Innocent Kaia, Faraz Akram and Mujeeb ur Rahman.
The squad of Johannesburg Buffaloes: Mushfiqur Rahim, Odean Smith, Tom Banton, Yusuf Pathan, Will Smeed, Noor Ahmad, Ravi Bopara, Usman Shinwari, Junior Dala, Blessing Muzarabani, Wellington Masakadza, Wesley Madhevere, Victor Nyauchi, Milton Shumba, Mohammad Hafeez, and Rahul Chopra.
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