ZW vs IE: Gary Ballance added to Zimbabwe’s T20i squad against Ireland

• Gary Ballance played 23 Tests and 16 one-day internationals for England.
• Yorkshire all-rounder has signed a two-year deal with Zimbabwe Cricket.
• Ballance was named in the 15-man squad for T20 World Cup 2022.

Gary Ballance will soon make his Zimbabwean debut after being selected for the team’s three-match T20I series against Ireland. He is one of four changes that were made to the team of 15 players from Zimbabwe that competed in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2022 in Australia in October and November.

Other newcomers to the team, in addition to Ballance, include Tadiwanashe Marumani, Innocent Kaia, and Victor Nyauchi. Along with Milton Shumba and wicketkeeper-bat Regis Chakabva, fast bowler Blessing Muzarabani was not chosen due to a quadriceps injury.

Following his release from county cricket team Yorkshire, Ballance, who played 23 Tests and 16 ODIs for England between 2014 and 2017, signed a two-year contract to play domestic and international cricket in and for his own country.

The ICC Men’s Cricketer of the Year, ICC Men’s ODI Cricketer of the Year, and ICC Men’s T20I Cricketer of the Year-nominated star all-rounder Sikandar Raza will not participate in the T20Is against Ireland after Zimbabwe Cricket gave him permission to play franchise cricket overseas.

Tendai Chatara, Richard Ngarava, Sean Williams, and skipper Craig Ervine will all be eligible for Zimbabwe’s match against Ireland at the Harare Sports Club.

On January 12, 14, and 15, the T20I matches will be held. Following that, the two teams will play a three-match ODI series on January 18, 21, and 23, again at Harare Sports Club.

The second ODI will now be played on January 21 rather than the scheduled date of January 20 due to the expectation of a large crowd, according to Zimbabwe Cricket and Cricket Ireland.

“We are grateful to our colleagues at Cricket Ireland for agreeing to tweak the schedule a bit by moving the second ODI initially scheduled for a Friday to the next day in order to give our fans an opportunity to come out and enjoy the action on a day when most of them are not at work.”

“It’s now over to our fans to turn up in their numbers, like they have been doing in the last six months, and make this another memorable series pitting two exciting sides against each other,” said Hamilton Masakadza, ZC Director of Cricket.

Squad: Craig Ervine (captain), Gary Ballance, Ryan Burl, Tendai Chatara, Bradley Evans, Luke Jongwe, Innocent Kaia, Clive Madande, Wesley Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Tony Munyonga, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi, Sean Williams

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