Africa-Press – Zimbabwe. ZIMBABWE Cricket (ZC) has made a single, yet significant, change to the national squad for the upcoming three-match Twenty20 International (T20I) series against visiting Afghanistan, announcing the sensational return of veteran leg spinner and former captain, Graeme Cremer.
The 39-year-old, who came out of retirement just three months ago, has been named in the 15-man squad, replacing pace bowler Trevor Gwandu in the only alteration from the side that secured an unbeaten qualification for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2026 earlier this month.
The three-match series, set to be played at Harare Sports Club on October 29, October 31 and November 2, will mark Cremer’s first international appearance since March 2018.
His last outing was the heart breaking One Day International defeat to the UAE that cost Zimbabwe a spot in the 2019 World Cup.
Cremer subsequently retired from international cricket later that year and moved with his family to the UAE.
His return is a major story in Zimbabwean cricket. Since his recent comeback to the domestic scene, the leg-spinner has been in good form, prompting the selectors to bring his experience back into the national setup ahead of the crucial T20 World Cup build-up.
Cremer has a respectable T20I record for Zimbabwe, having played 29 matches and bagged 35 wickets, with career-best figures of 3 for 11.
In a statement yesterday, ZC revealed the selectors opted for continuity following the successful qualifying campaign.
Captain Sikandar Raza leads the settled outfit that blends seasoned campaigners with exciting young prospects.
The core of the team remains intact, with Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava spearheading the fast-bowling unit.
Experienced batsman and wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor is retained as he continues his international comeback.
Young talents who impressed during the Africa Qualifier—Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Brad Evans and Tashinga Musekiwa—have all kept their spots, signalling the selectors’ faith in the emerging generation.
All-rounder Sean Williams, however, remains unavailable as he continues to attend to personal matters.
The T20I series against a strong Afghanistan side is viewed by ZC as a vital step in preparing the team for the 2026 global showpiece.
Zimbabwe squad for T20I series versus Afghanistan:
Sikandar Raza (Captain), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Graeme Cremer, Brad Evans, Clive Madande, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Brendan Taylor
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