If all goes as planned, the 39-year-old will be available for the first Test starting July 30.
Zimbabwe have announced a 16-player Test squad to face New Zealand next month.
MAL
144/3
HKG
140/10
SGP
133/7
SAM
132/6
Singapore beat Samoa by 3 wickets
HKG
–
SAM
–
SGP
–
MAL
–
WI
–
AUS
–
RWA
139/6
ML
134/5
Rwanda won by 4 wickets
BHN
211/4
RWA
99/10
Bahrain won by 112 runs
ML
–
RWA
–
BHN
–
ML
–
GLO
–
LAN
208/5
DIF-W
38/0
STO-W
37/4
Djurgardens IF Women beat Stockholm CC Women by 10 wickets
ALZ-W
89/5
DIF-W
95/4
Djurgardens IF Women beat Alby Zalmi Women by 6 runs
STO-W
41/10
ALZ-W
42/2
Alby Zalmi Women beat Stockholm CC Women by 8 wickets
DIF-W
43/0
STO-W
42/6
Djurgardens IF Women beat Stockholm CC Women by 10 wickets
ALZ
–
HDN
–
JIHCC
–
MAR
–
HDN
–
ALZ
–
HDN
–
JIHCC
–
MAR
–
ALZ
–
91YC
35/5
NVR
62/4
Navarang Club beat 91 Yards Club by 27 runs
BCC
147/8
CCC
128/10
Bud Cricket Club beat City Cricket Club by 19 runs
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
EWW-W
–
MZW-W
–
MWW-W
–
LSN-W
–
BOT-W
–
SLO-W
–
RWA-W
–
CW-W
–
ENG-W
63/2
IND-W
318/5
ENG
–
IND
–
RLC
–
KRMPS
–
MECS
–
CHK
–
FLI
–
MIB
–
Match Abandoned Due to Rain
CAT
–
CBS
–
GCF
–
BRT
–
CAT
–
MIB
–
VEV
–
BRT
–
CBS
–
FLI
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
TBC
–
BAN
133/10
PAK
125/10
Bangladesh won by 8 runs
KNY
83/7
NBA
113/8
Kenya won by 3 wickets (D/L) method
UGA
147/6
NIG
109/10
Uganda won by 38 runs
UAE
–
KNY
–
UGAA
–
NBA
–
OAW
186/7
MMS
216/5
Mahe Megalo Strikers beat Ossudu Accord Warriors by 30 runs
KAK
–
VMK
60/0
BAD
192/5
SGT
180/9
Band-e-Amir Dragons beat Speen Ghar Tigers by 12 runs
ASS
162/10
MAK
168/5
Mis-e-Ainak Knights beat Amo Sharks by 5 wickets
EDC
154/10
WIC
164/9
West Indies Champions beat England Champions by 10 runs
IAC
–
SAC
19/0
AAC
–
WIC
–
NZ
135/3
SA
134/8
New Zealand beat South Africa by 7 wickets
IRE-W
112/1
ZIM-W
–
IRE-W
–
ZIM-W
–
Brendan Taylor is not officially part of the squad yet, but according to ESPNCricinfo he is expected to be added once his ban ends on July 25. If all goes as planned, the 39-year-old will be available for the first Test starting July 30.
Taylor last played a Test match in July 2021 against Bangladesh. In his career so far, he has played 34 Tests, scoring 2320 runs at an average of 36.25, including 6 centuries and 12 fifties.
In 2022, Taylor was banned for three and a half years by the ICC for breaking its anti-corruption rules. He admitted that he accepted a $15,000 “deposit” from an Indian businessman in October 2019 as part of a plan for spot-fixing.
Taylor had travelled to India to discuss a possible new T20 league in Zimbabwe. He was told he would be paid $15,000 for the meeting, and promised another $20,000 if he completed the spot-fixing job later.
Taylor later said he was blackmailed and forced into taking the money but never went through with the fixing.
Along with four breaches of the anti-corruption code, Taylor also broke the ICC’s anti-doping rules. He tested positive for benzoylecognine, a cocaine metabolite, during a test.
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Ben Curran is back in Zimbabwe’s Test squad after recovering from a broken hand he got during a warm up match against South Africa in Arundel. Zimbabwe will play a two match Test series against New Zealand next month, and Curran has been named in the 16 player squad.
There are four changes from the team that lost to South Africa. Sikandar Raza returns after missing that series because he was playing in the MLC. Roy Kaia and Tanunurwa Makoni are also back in the team. However, opening batters Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Prince Masvaure, middle order batter Wessly Madhevere, and fast bowler Kundai Matigimu have been left out.
Blessing Muzarabani will lead the pace attack. Richard Ngarava is not in the squad. He had injured his back during the Test against England but recently returned in the T20 tri series against South Africa and New Zealand.
Brian Bennett, who was concussed in the first Test against South Africa and later returned for the T20 matches, is also included. Dion Myers, who replaced him earlier, has been left out.
This will be the first time Zimbabwe play a Test series against New Zealand since 2016.
Craig Ervine (Captain), Brian Bennett, Tanaka Chivanga, Ben Curran, Trevor Gwandu, Roy Kaia, Tanunurwa Makoni, Clive Madande, Vincent Masekesa, Wellington Masakadza, Blessing Muzarabani, Newman Nyamhuri, Sikandar Raza, Tafadzwa Tsiga, Nicholas Welch, Sean Williams.
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Malaysia beat Hong Kong by 7 wickets