Five Zimbabwe Players to Miss Out Upcoming Tri-Series Following Payment Issues

Zimbabwe Convenor of Selectors Walter Chawaguta has confirmed the fact that Zimbabwe will be without the services of their five best players for the upcoming Tri-Nation Twenty20 International series also involving Pakistan and Australia.

And it is learnt that players have made themselves unavailable for the competition. It was on Monday (June 25) that Chawaguta announced a 17-man squad for the tournament at the Harare Sports Club (HSC).

Interestingly, wicketkeeper-batsman Brendan Taylor, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams, Graeme Cremer and Craig Ervine has made themselves unavailable.

However, the Convenor feels they would be considered for selection anytime they make themselves available.

“Our hope is that they avail themselves, and if they do avail themselves then the selectors will have to sit down and see where they fit in in the greater scheme of things. Our hope is that things resolve themselves and those players avail themselves,” he said at a press conference while being quoted as saying by ZC.

None of these five players has taken the field ever since the conclusion of the 2018 ICC World Cup Qualifiers in March. They haven’t been paid at least a two-month salary. And such players are yet to receive a match fee, for a year. It was hoped that the pending salaries get cleared by the end of July.

The players meanwhile have tried to build up a player’s association and gave a deadline to the Zimbabwean Cricket (ZC) – to clear their dues by June 25.

Well, the others have returned to play during a triangular T20 series involving Kenya. They have also been selected in the tri-series squad.

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The deadline date expired on the same day when the squad was announced by Chawaguta and interim coach Lalchand Rajput.

Now, the big question arises that whether Zimbabwe would be missing out on more players. Chawaguta hopes that all the 17 members of the squad will be available for the tournament.

“We based our selection on the players that are available. By saying ‘available’, today we finished our T20 practice match and all these players that are being looked at here, with the exception of Elton (Chigumbura) who is not feeling well, were available and completed the match. My assumption is that everyone is available and I have no reason to believe otherwise,” Chawaguta said.

After the omission of the five players, it was speculated that some of the players were falling pretty due to their attempts – to make a player’s association.

Former Zimbabwe skipper Tatenda Taibu remarked the players were victimized. However, Chawaguta dismissed the comments and asserted he had a personal talk with every player.

Since the quintet was left out of a preliminary squad last week there had been speculation – led by a former leader and selector Taibu on Twitter – that some of them were being victimised for their attempts to set up a players’ association.

However, Chawaguta made a point of dismissing the theory.

“I think we need to set the record straight. I’ve personally spoken to every one of those players and they didn’t make themselves available. We started off with four squads originally (for a warm-up competition) because our intention was to have a local quadrangular. When Kenya came into the picture we chose two squads of 30 for a triangular. Those players were contacted but made themselves unavailable. They didn’t play in the tri-series,” Chawaguta said.

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“Towards the end of the tri-series I personally got hold of every single one of those players. And every one of them made themselves unavailable until their issues are sorted out. I had a word with Brendan Taylor yesterday and told him it was time he set the record straight. Hopefully, that happens soon,” Chawaguta maintained.

Zimbabwe squad for T20 tri-series:

Cephas Zhuwao, Chamu Chibhabha, Brian Chari, Tarisai Musakanda, Malcolm Waller, PJ Moor, Tendai Chisoro, Kyle Jarvis, Brandon Mavuta, Blessing Muzarabani, Chris Mpofu, Ryan Burl, Solomon Mire, Ryan Murray, Hamilton Masakadza, Wellington Masakadza, and Elton Chigumbura.