Antum Naqvi set to get a callup for Zimbabwe, having been picked in the squad for the one-off Test against Afghanistan.
Belgium-born Antum Naqvi set for Zimbabwe debut.
After been selected for Zimbabwe’s 16-man team, batsman Antum Naqvi is expected to make his debut in the country’s forthcoming one-off Test match against Afghanistan. Another possible debutant is fast bowler Tinotenda Maposa, who has represented Zimbabwe in 14 white-ball international matches.
Both all-rounder Brad Evans and left-arm seamer Richard Ngarava, who missed Zimbabwe’s most recent Test series against New Zealand in July and August of this year, were added back to the team. Evans, 28, has only participated in one Test match thus far, in February 2023.
Born in Brussels, Belgium, Naqvi, who is of Indian and Pakistani ancestry, went to Australia when he was four years old and obtained a commercial airline pilot’s licence there. According to BBC Sport, he put his aviation career on hold in order to play cricket. According to a Zimbabwe Cricket release, he recently qualified to play for Zimbabwe.
Naqvi, who averages more over 60 in both first-class and List A cricket, is one of Zimbabwe’s most promising young players. He became the first member of a Zimbabwean squad to reach a triple-century in representative cricket at any level in January 2024. In 26 first-class innings, he has amassed 1626 runs at an average of 67.75 and a strike rate of 72.65.
He struck 68 and 108, his sixth hundred in the format, for Zimbabwe A against MCC in Harare last week in his most recent first-class match.
The preceding Test team did not include Sean Williams, Trevor Gwandu, Newman Nyamhuri, Clive Madande, or Vincent Masekesa. It is acknowledged that Williams was unable to attend for private reasons.
Brendan Taylor, Sikandar Raza, and Blessing Muzarabani will all contribute more experience to the team, and Craig Ervine will serve as captain.
The one-time Test match versus Afghanistan will take place in Harare from October 20 to 24. Since qualifying for the 2026 T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka, this will be Zimbabwe’s first international assignment.