AMID heightened security fears following a devastating suicide bombing in Islamabad, the Zimbabwe national cricket team — the Chevrons — arrived in Pakistan on Wednesday night for a T20I Tri-series also involving the hosts and Sri Lanka.
Tuesday’s attack, which claimed 12 lives and wounded 27 in the capital, prompted a swift, security-driven response from the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB).
In consultation with Zimbabwe Cricket and Sri Lanka Cricket, the PCB has moved all seven matches of the tournament — including the final — to the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium.
This decision comes as the Sri Lankan contingent, already in Pakistan for a separate white-ball tour, saw a number of its players express concern about their continued participation.
The tri-series, which will now run from November 18 to 29, provides a crucial, high-pressure platform for all three teams as they ramp up preparations for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup.
For the Sikandar Raza-led Chevrons, this tournament is not just a preparatory step but a chance to bounce back from a disappointing start to their World Cup cycle. Their arrival in Pakistan follows a chastening 3–0 T20I whitewash suffered at the hands of Afghanistan on home soil in Harare just a few weeks prior.
That series exposed frailties in both the batting and bowling departments, and the team will be desperate to find winning momentum and a settled combination against two of Asia’s most formidable T20 sides.
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Their preparations were dealt a further blow with the news that pace spearhead Blessing Muzarabani has been ruled out due to a back injury.
Filling his large shoes will be 19-year-old seamer Newman Nyamhuri, the only change to the squad that faced Afghanistan. Nyamhuri is poised to make his T20I debut in a high-stakes, tightly-monitored environment.
The tri-series was originally scheduled to split matches between Lahore and Rawalpindi, but the recent suicide attack outside a district court in Islamabad — Rawalpindi’s twin city — prompted the emergency relocation.
The PCB confirmed the revised, streamlined schedule, aimed at ensuring the highest level of player safety and operational consistency: “All seven T20I matches, including the final, will now take place at the Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium in Rawalpindi.”
Despite the security anxiety, Zimbabwe’s presence signals a continued commitment to supporting the return of international cricket to Pakistan.
The Chevrons will rely heavily on their experienced core, including captain Raza, Ryan Burl, and the returning veteran Brendan Taylor, to navigate this challenging tour and extract maximum benefit for their World Cup quest.
The focus, after a turbulent week off the field, will now turn to the tri-series.
Zimbabwe open their campaign against the hosts Pakistan on Tuesday, November 18.
T20I Tri-Series fixtures
- November 18: Pakistan v Zimbabwe
- November 20: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe
- November 22: Pakistan v Sri Lanka
- November 23: Pakistan v Zimbabwe
- November 25: Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe
- November 27: Pakistan v Sri Lanka
- November 29: Final
Zimbabwe squad for T20I Tri-Series
Sikandar Raza (Captain), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Graeme Cremer, Bradley Evans, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa, Wellington Masakadza, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Brendan Taylor.
