Inexperienced squad named for cricket World Cup

By Tichaona Sibanda
14 February 2007

The Zimbabwe Cricket on Wednesday named an inexperienced squad for next month’s World Cup in the West Indies. The 15-man squad contains only one survivor from the 2003 World Cup.

All-rounder Stuart Matsikenyeri, 23, who has 60 one-day international caps, is the only player to have participated in the World Cup in South Africa four years ago. The only surprise inclusion to the squad is 18 year-old left-hander Friday Kasteni.

Cricket analyst Elvis Sembezeya said the decision to prefer Kasteni to Hamilton Masakadza is just as worrying as the selection of the whole team. Captained by slow bowler Prosper Utseya, Zimbabwe is in the same group as Pakistan, Ireland and the hosts West Indies.

Describing the announcement of the squad as a sad chapter in Zimbabwe’s cricketing history, Sembezeya said cricket stakeholders in the country have ruled out any surprises, generally agreeing the team has less than 15 percent chances of winning the cup.

‘Since we cannot rule out miracles, the chances are heavily staked against Zimbabwe to survive the group stages of the tournament. Talking to the convenor and selectors I could sense there was a general disagreement over the composition of the squad,’ Sembezeya said.

Coach Kevin Curran has been blamed for the squad’ string of defeats and analysts are wondering just how he could turn around the team’s fortunes with less than a month before the World Cup. The squad play Ireland in their opening game on 15 March in Jamaica.

Zimbabwe squad:

Prosper Utseya (captain), Gary Brent, Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Keith Dabengwa, Terrence Duffin, Anthony Ireland, Friday Kasteni, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Christopher Mpofu, Tawanda Mupariwa, Edward Rainsford, Vusumuzi Sibanda, Brendan Taylor, and Sean Williams.