THE Zimbabwe men’s cricket team is ramping up its preparations for the upcoming ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier, with a final preparatory series against Namibia set to begin in Bulawayo next week.
The three-match series, which starts on September 15, is a crucial final step for the Chevrons before they host the eight-team qualifying tournament in Harare from September 26 to October 4.
Fresh off a hard-fought 2-1 T20 series loss to a visiting Sri Lanka side, Zimbabwe is looking to build on the positives and iron out any remaining issues.
The squad for the Namibia series remains unchanged from the one that faced Sri Lanka, featuring a mix of seasoned veterans and emerging young talent.
The ultimate prize for the top two finishers in the regional qualifier is a place at the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 in India and Sri Lanka.
Head coach Justin Sammons emphasised the importance of the series against Namibia.
“It’s important that we build on the positives from the Sri Lanka series, and facing Namibia will give us exactly the kind of contest we need before the qualifier,” Sammons said.
“They are a quality team who have consistently performed well in this format, so these matches will demand our very best.”
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The matches, scheduled for September 15, 16, and 18 at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo, will serve as a final proving ground for the team’s strategies and player combinations.
Sammons added: “For us, it’s about refining our plans, getting combinations right and making sure we go into the qualifier confident and battle-hardened.”
Fans will be able to attend the matches free of charge, offering a chance to see their national team in action before the high-stakes qualifiers begin.
The recent series against Sri Lanka ended in a narrow 2-1 defeat for the Chevrons, with the visitors sealing the decider by eight wickets on Sunday.
Despite the loss, captain Sikandar Raza was quick to highlight the team’s progress and resilience.
Speaking after the defeat, a reflective Raza said he planned to use the team’s emotions carefully and focus on their strengths.
“I’m still a guy who is going to look at all the things we have done right, put that in front of the team and hopefully build on those right things rather than keep reminding them where we have gone wrong,” Raza said.
He said the final scoreline does not accurately reflect the quality of cricket his team played.
“A 2-1 again just like ODI, 2-1 in T20 is not a true reflection of how good cricket we have played, but unfortunately, we sit on the other side of the wall.”
The captain’s message to his team is one of perseverance and unity.
“It is very easy to just say maybe it is not going to happen or you say you know what we are going to keep getting better and we are going to have those difficult games, but if we stay together and if we stay true to our hard work and preparations and stay calm under pressure as well we are going to win a lot more games going forward rather than lose.”
He concluded with a positive outlook, emphasising that the team has overcome more challenges than they have created.
The upcoming series against Namibia, a fellow contender for a World Cup spot, will be the ultimate test of that resolve as Zimbabwe’s journey to the 2026 T20 World Cup draws closer.
