Sean Williams drives one through cover © Associated Press
Zimbabwe captain Sean Williams will miss the one-off game against Bangladesh in Dhaka on February 22 to be with his family for the birth of his first child. In his absence, Craig Ervine will lead the 15-member squad which has also been shorn of two key fast bowlers.
Kyle Jarvis is unavailable due to a lower-back problem that he picked up playing the first Test against Sri Lanka in January while Tendai Chatara continues his recovery from a bicep injury. As a result, Zimbabwe have recalled Chris Mpofu, whose last game of Test cricket was the four-day pink-ball match against South Africa in December 2017.
Mpofu has been more of a regular presence for Zimbabwe in limited-overs cricket and his return to the longer format may have been helped by his performances in the Logan Cup. The 34-year old picked up 11 for 54 in a very tight first-class game against Mid West Rhinos late last month. He is the only addition to the squad that lost the recent two-match home series to Sri Lanka. Opening batsman Kevin Kasuza, who suffered concussion after being hit in the head in both Tests, keeps his place.
Zimbabwe will leave for Dhaka on Friday and will face the Bangladesh Cricket Board XI in a two-day practice game on February 18. Then they play the Test following which they play three ODIs against the hosts on March 1, 3 and 6. Williams is expected to be available for those games set to take place in Sylhet. The tour ends with Zimbabwe and Bangladesh meeting in two T20Is on March 9 and 11 in Dhaka.
Zimbabwe Test squad: Sikandar Raza, Regis Chakabva (wk), Craig Ervine (captain), Kevin Kasuza, Timycen Maruma, Prince Masvaure, Christopher Mpofu, Brian Mudzinganyama, Carl Mumba, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Ainsley Ndlovu, Victor Nyauchi, Brendan Taylor, Donald Tiripano, Charlton Tshuma
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Source: ESPN Crickinfo