New Delhi, Dec 9 (IANS): Ben Curran, the brother of England men’s players Sam and Tom, has earned his maiden Zimbabwe call-up for their upcoming ODI series against Afghanistan. Apart from him, Zimbabwe have also handed a maiden call-up to young left-arm pacer Newman Nyamhuri, who’s also named in T20I squad.
Curran, who played for Northamptonshire between 2018 and 2022, receives his maiden call-up after being the leading run-scorer in Zimbabwe's 50-over and red-ball domestic competitions.
He is the second son of Kevin Curran, who played 11 ODIs for Zimbabwe between 1983 and 1987, before being their head coach from 2005 to 2007. His brothers Tom and Sam are capped across all three formats for England.
While Tom was a member of 2019 ODI World Cup winning team at home and last played for England in 2021, Sam was the Player of the Final and Tournament in England winning 2022 T20 World Cup in Australia.
On the other hand, Nyamhuri, 18, has been one of the country’s standout young talents, impressing earlier this year at the ICC Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup in South Africa where he emerged as Zimbabwe’s leading wicket-taker with eight scalps.
Both Curran and Nyamhuri, along with pacer Victor Nyauchi, replace Faraz Akram, Brandon Mavuta and Clive Madande, who is recovering from a dislocated shoulder, in the ODI squad. The rest of the squad from Zimbabwe’s recent ODI series against Pakistan remains unchanged.
In the only changes to the T20I squad, Nyamhuri comes in alongside opening batter Takudzwanashe Kaitano, who is in line to make his debut in the shortest format, while Madande and Mavuta miss out due to injury and selection adjustments.
The series between Zimbabwe and Afghanistan will be played at Harare Sports Club, starting with three T20Is on December 11, 13 and 14, followed by three ODIs on December 17, 19, and 21 respectively.
Zimbabwe T20I squad: Sikandar Raza (c), Faraz Akram, Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Trevor Gwandu, Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Wessly Madhevere, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri
Zimbabwe ODI squad: Craig Ervine (c), Brian Bennett, Ben Curran, Joylord Gumbie, Trevor Gwandu, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Tashinga Musekiwa, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Richard Ngarava, Newman Nyamhuri, Victor Nyauchi, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams.