Sikandar Raza was named captain as Zimbabwe returns to the global tournament after missing the 2024 edition
Zimbabwe Cricket announced a 15-player squad for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 on Thursday. Sikandar Raza will lead the team. The tournament runs from February 7 to March 8 across India and Sri Lanka.
Zimbabwe missed the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the USA after failing to qualify. They return to the global stage after a gap of two years.
Blessing Muzarabani returns to the squad after recovering from injury. He missed the recent tri-series in Pakistan. The 29-year-old right-arm fast medium bowler will lead the pace attack.
Complete 15-Player Squad
Batters:
- Clive Madande (wicketkeeper, 25 years old, right-hand bat)
- Tadiwanashe Marumani (24 years old, left-hand bat)
- Dion Myers (23 years old, right-hand bat)
- Brendan Taylor (39 years old, wicketkeeper-batter)
All-rounders:
- Sikandar Raza (captain, 39 years old, right-hand bat, off-break and leg-break bowler)
- Brian Bennett (22 years old, right-hand bat, off-break bowler)
- Ryan Burl (31 years old, left-hand bat, leg-break bowler)
- Brad Evans (28 years old, right-hand bat, right-arm fast)
- Tony Munyonga (26 years old, right-hand bat, off-break bowler)
- Tashinga Musekiwa (25 years old, right-hand bat, right-arm medium)
Bowlers:
- Graeme Cremer (39 years old, leg-break googly)
- Tinotenda Maposa (22 years old, right-arm medium)
- Wellington Masakadza (32 years old, slow left-arm orthodox)
- Blessing Muzarabani (29 years old, right-arm fast medium)
- Richard Ngarava (28 years old, left-arm fast medium)
Pace and Spin Options
The pace attack includes four bowlers. Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava bring experience. Bradley Evans and Tinotenda Maposa add depth. Evans can also contribute with the bat.
Zimbabwe picked two specialist spinners. Graeme Cremer bowls a leg-break googly. Wellington Masakadza offers slow left-arm orthodox bowling. Both have played international cricket for over a decade.
Batting Depth and Experience
Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani provide youth in the batting order. Bennett is 22 years old. Marumani turned 24 recently. Both are all-rounders who can bowl part-time.
Brendan Taylor returns at 39 years old. He brings 17 years of international experience. Taylor can keep wickets and bat in the middle order. His presence adds stability to the squad.
Ryan Burl offers balance as a left-handed batter who bowls leg-spin. He can change the game with both bat and ball.
Group B Fixtures
Zimbabwe, Australia, Ireland, Oman, and Sri Lanka are all in Group B. The Super Eight stage is reached by the top two teams in the group.
Zimbabwe plays four group matches:
- Match 1: Zimbabwe vs Oman on February 9 at Sinhalese Sports Club Ground, Colombo
- Match 2: Zimbabwe vs Australia on February 13 at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
- Match 3: Zimbabwe vs Ireland on February 17 at Pallekele International Cricket Stadium
- Match 4: Zimbabwe vs Sri Lanka on February 19 at R. Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Australia is the strongest team in the group. They won the 2021 T20 World Cup and reached the finals in 2024. The Sri Lanka team has a home advantage as a co-host. Ireland qualified through the regional pathway.
Zimbabwe needs to finish in the top two to reach the Super Eight. Their best chance comes against Oman and Ireland.
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Squad Balance
The selectors picked six all-rounders in the 15-player squad after the team qualified for the World Cup 2026. This gives Sikandar Raza flexibility in team combinations. Zimbabwe can adjust its playing eleven based on pitch conditions.
Four players are 39 years old: Sikandar Raza, Brendan Taylor, and Graeme Cremer. Their experience matters in pressure situations during World Cup matches.
The squad has three wicketkeeper options. Clive Madande and Brendan Taylor can both keep wickets. Tadiwanashe Marumani has kept in domestic cricket.
Zimbabwe last played a T20 World Cup in 2022 in Australia. They failed to qualify for the Super 12 stage that year. This tournament gives them a chance to prove their progress over the past two years.
Read the full squad breakdown and match schedule only on Jeetwin Sports.
