Zimbabwe have hired former South African spinner Charl Langeveldt as the bowling coach for their team ahead of their upcoming T20I series against India. The five-match series will be played between July 6 and 14. Harare will host all the matches.
The matches will be played on July 6, 7, 10, 13 and 14. Sikandar Raza will lead Zimbabwe while Shubman Gill will lead India. The BCCI has named a very young Indian team as the senior players were rested after the memorable T20 World Cup win.
Zimbabwe, after failing to qualify for the T20 World Cup, will face the team that was crowned champion of the T20 World Cup. Although the team has less international experience, its experience in the IPL makes it a competitive team.
Charl Langeveldt has been the bowling coach of the South African team in two previous stints. He also worked with Punjab Kingas as the franchise’s bowling coach in the IPL.
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Charl Langeveldt joins Zimbabwe
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Cricket in a statement said the appointments were in line with recommendations made by the Mhishi Committee of Inquiry which was set up to investigate the team’s failure to qualify for the recently concluded ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, which led to the resignation of Dave Houghton as head coach.
“All appointments were made in consultation with Sammons, who also opted to retain Stuart Matsikenyeri, although he now takes on the role of field coach, while Amato Machikicho will continue to serve as team physiotherapist,” it added.
Zimbabwe had previously appointed Justin Sammons as head coach and Dion Ebrahim as batting coach. Sammons had previously worked with the South Africa men’s team as a batting consultant from 2021 to 2023. Dion Ebrahim has played international cricket for Zimbabwe. He played 29 Tests and 82 ODIs from 2001 to 2005 and most recently worked with the New Zealand senior men’s team.
As for the Indian team, the BCCI has named a 17-member youth squad and the senior players have been rested. Tushar Deshpande, Riyan Parag and Abhishek Sharma have been called up for the first time to India. Meanwhile, Rinku Singh will join the team and a few others will join them later.
After naming the initial squad, the BCCI announced the replacements for Shivam Dube, Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal, who will first be with India’s T20 World Cup-winning team as part of the trophy celebrations.
BCCI has named Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma and Hardhit Rana for the first two matches while Samson, Jaiswal and Dube will be part of the squad in Zimbabwe for the last three matches. This is India’s fourth trip to Zimbabwe to play a T20I series after 2010, 2015 and 2016.
India squad for first two T20Is: Shubman Gill (Captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, Dhruv Jurel (WK), Riyan Parag, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Khaleel Ahmed, Mukesh Kumar, Tushar Deshpande, Sai Sudharsan, Jitesh Sharma (WK), Harshit Rana
Zimbabwe squad: Sikandar Raza (captain), Faraz Akram, Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Tendai Chatara, Luke Jongwe, Innocent Kaia, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Brandon Mavuta, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Antum Naqvi, Richard Ship, Milton Leon
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