After losing the T20I and the ODI series, Zimbabwe will be eyeing a better show in the upcoming two-match Test series against Afghanistan. ZIM vs AFG of the series is scheduled to be played on Thursday (December 26) at the Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo.
The hosts will have their task cut out in the Test series after their dismal show in the ODIs. Following the 2-1 loss in the T20I series, the hosts were completely outplayed by Afghanistan in the ODI. In all the games, the host batters failed to make an impact.
In the first game, they were reeling at 44/5 inside 10 overs when rain brought a premature end to the proceedings. Zimbabwe were all out for just 54 runs while chasing 287 runs in the second ODI,
In the must-win third ODI, their batters failed to impress once again as the hosts were all out for 127 runs and lost the game by 8 wickets. With the hosts now looking to bounce back in the Test series, we are taking a look at the Zimbabwe playing 11 for the first Test.
Zimbabwe Playing 11 vs Afghanistan- 1st Test, Afghanistan tour of Zimbabwe 2024-25:
Openers: Ben Curran, Joylord Gumbie
Ben Curran and Joylord Gumbie are set to be the openers in the Playing 11. After disastrous batting performance in the ODIs, they will be eyeing a good display in the Test series.
The onus will be on Curran and Gumbie to give their team a good start. Curran is expected to make his Test debut in the upcoming game. He recently made his debut for the hosts in the ODI series against Afghanistan and failed to impress, registering scores of 15, 0, and 12.
Curran has over 2500 runs in first-class cricket and will be eyeing a good show on his debut. Gumbie, on the other hand, played in only one ODI against Afghanistan and was out for 3 runs in that game. The upcoming Test will only be his second appearance in red-ball cricket.
Middle-order batsmen and allrounders: Dion Myers, Craig Ervine, Sean Williams, Brian Bennett, Sikandar Raza
Captain Craig Ervine will be looking to lead his team from the front in the first Test. With Zimbabwe desperate to turn things around, they will be relying heavily on their captain. Ervine could not impress in the ODI series, scoring 1*, 4 and 5.
Sean Williams will be one of the most important players in the match. In the two Tests that the hosts and Afghanistan have played against each other so far, he scored a century in each of those Tests. Williams will be eyeing a similar performance in the upcoming game as well.
Sikandar Raza is another senior player who will be looking to make an impact with both bat and ball. A handy off-spinner and a reliable middle-order batsman, Raza can turn out to be the trump card for the hosts. The likes of Brian Bennett and Dion Myers are the other middle-order options in the Zimbabwe Playing 11.
Bowlers: Newman Nyamhuri, Richard Ngarava, Trevor Gwandu, Blessing Muzarabani
The hosts are expected to include four frontline pacers in the Zimbabwe Playing 11 for the first Test. The pacers are Newman Nyamhuri, Richard Ngarava, Trevor Gwandu and Blessing Muzarabani.
