Afghanistan cricket team arrives

Sport
THE Afghanistan national cricket team is expected in the country tonight ahead of their maiden tour of Zimbabwe starting next Friday in Bulawayo.

THE Afghanistan national cricket team is expected in the country tonight ahead of their maiden tour of Zimbabwe starting next Friday in Bulawayo. DANIEL NHAKANISO SPORTS REPORTER

Afghanistan, who qualified for the 2015 Cricket World Cup to be co-hosted by Australia and New Zealand, will play four one-day internationals (ODIs) and two four-day matches against the hosts Zimbabwe A side.

Zimbabwe Cricket’s media and communications manager Lovemore Banda said the team was expected to touch down in the capital this evening before leaving for Bulawayo later tonight.

“The Afghanistan cricket team is expected to arrive at the Harare International Airport tomorrow (today) at 5:20pm hours. They will immediately connect to Bulawayo ahead of their warm-up matches on July 13 and 15 against the Zimbabwe A and ODIs starting on July 18,” Banda said.

Wicketkeeper batsman Regis Chakabva will captain the Zimbabwe A side during the warm-up matches which will be an opportunity for most of the fringe players to impress ahead of the ODIs.

The ODI matches will be played at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on July 18, 20, 21 and 24 while the two four-day matches will be played at the Country Club in Harare on July 27 and August 2.

Zimbabwe will use the four-match ODI series against Afghanistan to prepare for incoming tours against South Africa and Australia in August.

With barely seven months left for the 50-over World Cup in Australia and New Zealand next year the upcoming matches will be crucial for the team’s preparations for the global showpiece.

Meanwhile, Afghanistan Cricket Board, chairman Shahzada Massoud said he was confident the touring side would do well against Zimbabwe.

In an interview with an afghan news agency, Khaama Press just before the team’s departure for Zimbabwe, Massoud said he expected the team to put on a good perfomance and return to the subcontinent with a series win.