Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has named a 13-man Zimbabwe ‘A’ squad to take on the visiting Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) in a three-day match scheduled for 10-12 October at Old Hararians Sports Club in Harare.

The side features several players who have been part of Zimbabwe’s recent international fixtures, among them Wessly Madhevere, Clive Madande, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Tinotenda Maposa, Vincent Masekesa and Tafadzwa Tsiga.

Antum Naqvi, Takudzwa Chataira and Anesu Kamuriwo are the only members of the squad yet to make their full international debuts.

The fixture offers a valuable opportunity for Zimbabwe’s next generation of cricketers to test themselves against quality opposition.

MCC’s visit marks a historic return to Zimbabwe – the English club’s first since their 1964/65 tour –reaffirming cricket’s enduring ties between the two nations.

The touring team began their seven-match schedule earlier this week with two T20s and a 50-over match against provincial side Rhinos at Kwekwe Sports Club.

Following the three-day contest in Harare, MCC will conclude their tour with three T20s against the Zimbabwe Academy at Takashinga Cricket Club next week.

MCC has brought a competitive 13-man squad captained by Glamorgan batter Will Smale, underlining the high-performance nature of the tour.

Nine players in the visiting team boast first-class and/or List A experience.

Smale was a standout performer in Glamorgan’s Metro Bank One-Day Cup campaign this summer, notably scoring a century against Surrey at the Kia Oval.

He is joined by Worcestershire’s Ben Allison – a member of this year’s One-Day Cup-winning side – and Essex wicketkeeper Simon Fernandes.

The squad also includes Kent leg-spinner Mo Rizvi, Scotland international Jasper Davidson and Joseph Davies, who earned his place through an impressive showing in the relaunched MCC Young Cricketers programme.

ZIMBABWE ‘A’ SQUAD FOR THREE-DAY MATCH VS MCC

Takudzwa Chataira, Tanaka Chivanga, Innocent Kaia, Roy Kaia, Anesu Kamuriwo, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tanunurwa Makoni, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Vincent Masekesa, Antum Naqvi, Tafadzwa Tsiga

MCC SQUAD FOR ZIMBABWE TOUR

Will Smale (Captain), Sam Athurton, Ben Allison, Daniel da Costa, Jasper Davidson, Joseph Davies, Simon Fernandes, Alistair Frost, Michael Frost, Darren Ironside, Billy Mead, Mo Rizvi, Matt Wareing ZimCricket

UAE Women – 183-3 in 20 overs (Esha Oza 97, Theertha Satish 49, Heena Hotchandani 10*; Lindokuhle Mabhera 2/29, Josephine Nkomo 1/25)

Zimbabwe Women – 148-6 in 20 overs (Chiedza Dhururu 67*, Josephine Nkomo 43, Kelis Ndhlovu 22; Samaira Dharnidharka 3/19, Siya Gokhale 2/29, Heena Hotchandani 1/22) 

UAE Women won by 35 runs

Zimbabwe Women’s Chiedza Dhururu produced a valiant unbeaten 67 to anchor her side’s innings, but her efforts were not enough to prevent a 35-run defeat to the United Arab Emirates Women in the first T20 international at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Sunday.

Dhururu’s composed knock, which included a crucial 77-run fifth-wicket partnership with Josephine Nkomo (43), offered the hosts hope after a disastrous start that saw them reduced to 17 for three following a sensational hat-trick by seamer Samaira Dharnidharka.

Earlier, UAE Women’s captain Esha Oza set the tone for the visitors’ commanding performance with a blistering 97 off 55 balls, powering her team to 183 for three after choosing to bat first.

Oza and Theertha Satish, with 49 off 50, combined for a dominant 142-run opening stand, leaving Zimbabwe Women’s bowlers struggling for breakthroughs.

The home side finally struck in the 15th over when Lindokuhle Mabhera had Oza caught by Franscisca Chipare, just three runs short of what would have been a memorable century.

Mabhera went on to claim two for 29 in her four-over spell, emerging as Zimbabwe Women’s most effective bowler, while Nkomo chipped in with one for 25.

Chasing a stiff target of 184, Zimbabwe Women’s innings got off to a disastrous start when Dharnidharka dismissed Nyasha Gwanzura for four before trapping Modester Mupachikwa lbw and bowling Loreen Tshuma with successive deliveries to complete a remarkable hat-trick.

From 17 for three, Kelis Ndhlovu, with 22 off 16, and Dhururu briefly steadied the ship with a 32-run stand before Ndhlovu was bowled by Siya Gokhale.

Dhururu and Nkomo then rebuilt the innings impressively, rotating the strike and finding boundaries to keep Zimbabwe Women in contention.

Their stand took the score to 126 for five when Nkomo fell to a catch by Oza off Heena Hotchandani in the 18th over, but by then the required run rate had spiralled beyond reach.

Zimbabwe Women needed 54 runs from the final 12 balls, and despite Dhururu’s determined effort to the end, they could only close on 148 for six.

Dhururu’s unbeaten 67 came off 58 balls and included seven fours. 

Dharnidharka’s figures of three for 19 were pivotal in setting up UAE Women’s victory, while Gokhale supported with two for 29.

The second and final T20I will be played at the same venue this Monday afternoon, with the hosts aiming to level the series. Zimbabwe Cricket

Harare – Zimbabwe clinched the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier title in thrilling fashion on Saturday, defeating Namibia by seven wickets with just four balls to spare at Harare Sports Club. The victory capped off a flawless campaign for the hosts, who won all five of their matches in the eight-team tournament.

Tadiwanashe Marumani was the star of the show, anchoring Zimbabwe’s chase with a superb unbeaten 74 off 52 balls. His calm under pressure and timely strokeplay guided Zimbabwe to 171 for 3 in 19.2 overs, successfully overhauling Namibia’s competitive total of 167 for 6.

Both teams had already secured qualification for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026, to be co-hosted by India and Sri Lanka, by virtue of reaching the final. But the title clash was anything but ceremonial.

After winning the toss, Zimbabwe opted to bowl first and made early inroads. Richard Ngarava struck twice in the opening overs, removing Jan Frylinck and Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton to leave Namibia reeling at 19 for 2. Ryan Burl added to the pressure by trapping Malan Kruger lbw for 13, reducing Namibia to 55 for 3.

Louren Steenkamp (40 off 27) and captain Gerhard Erasmus (38 off 32) steadied the innings with a crucial partnership, but Ngarava returned to claim his third wicket and finish with impressive figures of 3 for 26. JJ Smit contributed 23 before falling to Brad Evans in the final over, while Ruben Trumpelmann’s late cameo (18* off a handful of deliveries) pushed Namibia to a respectable 167.

Wellington Masakadza was the most economical of Zimbabwe’s bowlers, conceding just 22 runs in his four overs.

In response, Zimbabwe started steadily with Brian Bennett and Marumani. Bennett fell for 15 to Ben Shikongo, but Dion Myers joined Marumani to build a match-defining 88-run stand. Myers scored a fluent 44 before being bowled by Bernard Scholtz, who then dismissed Sikandar Raza the very next ball to spark a brief Namibian resurgence.

With 29 needed from the final three overs, Ryan Burl stepped up with a composed 26* and struck crucial boundaries to ease the pressure. The final over, bowled by Trumpelmann, unraveled for Namibia—beginning with a wide and followed by two costly no-balls. Burl capitalized, hitting both for fours and sealing the win in dramatic fashion.

Marumani’s unbeaten 74 was the cornerstone of Zimbabwe’s chase, showcasing maturity and flair. Scholtz was Namibia’s standout bowler, finishing with 2 for 21.