Tuesday 20 October 2020

INDIA BARS ZIM HEAD COACH FROM PAKISTAN TOUR

ZIMBABWE Cricket (ZC) says head coach Lalchand Rajput will miss the Pakistan tour owing to travel guidelines stipulated by the Government of India for its citizens.

In his absence bowling coach Douglas Hondo will take charge of the team that has since arrived in Pakistan.

“The Embassy of India in Harare wrote to Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) asking that Rajput, who is an Indian national, be exempt from visiting Pakistan for the limited-overs tour in accordance with the travel guidelines stipulated by the Government of India for its citizens.

“The Embassy of Pakistan in Harare had issued a visa to Rajput.

“With Rajput unavailable for the tour, ZC has appointed Zimbabwe bowling coach Douglas Hondo to take charge of the team for the three one-day international matches and as many Twenty20 international games against Pakistan,” read a statement from ZC.

Zimbabwe will face Pakistan in three one-day international (ODI) matches and as many Twenty20 international (T20I) games. The ODI matches, which will be part of the inaugural ICC Cricket World Cup Super League, are scheduled for October 30 and November 1-3.

The T20I series is pencilled for November 7, 8 and 10. The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) yesterday announced an experienced squad ahead of the Zimbabwe series.

Pakistan head coach and chief selector, Misbah-ul-Haq, says they will not experiment in the One Day Internationals against visiting Zimbabwe as every match counts for ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2023 direct qualification.

“We have resisted the temptation of experimenting in the ODIs for three simple reasons. Firstly, we cannot afford to be complacent and have to respect each and every opponent irrespective of their strength or international ranking.

“Secondly, every ODI counts as it leads towards automatic qualification for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, and thirdly, we have not played any ODI cricket in the past 12 months,” said Misbah-ul-Haq. Herald

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