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Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
FAST bowler, Blessing Muzarabani, is still engaged in negotiations with Zimbabwe Cricket in his quest for a return to the international game.

Muzarabani, who had put his international cricket career on hold to pursue county cricket in England with Northamptonshire, has expressed desire to represent Zimbabwe again.

The 24-year-old was included in the Takashinga squad for the National Premier League which began at the weekend.

The late inclusion ignited speculation the lanky cricketer has been given the greenlight to resume his international cricket career and was in line for selection for the upcoming tour of Pakistan.

However, Zimbabwe Cricket yesterday explained the move to join Takashinga does not automatically mean he makes the squad to Pakistan.

ZC spokesperson, Darlington Majonga, said Muzarabani can feature in the NPL if he decides while talks are still taking place.

“What happened is that we asked each and every club to register players of their choice and his former club, Takashinga, came up with his name in their squad,’’ said Majonga.

“After that, speculation has been rife in the past few days that he has signed to return to Zimbabwe Cricket for international cricket.

“But, the truth of the matter is that negotiations are still taking place, nothing is official at the moment.

“Remember, the same player returned last year and played in the domestic league for Mashonaland Eagles but it didn’t mean he was available for selection.

“He was contracted to Northamptonshire.

“If anything comes up then we will update through the normal channels. No one has been selected for the Pakistan series yet.

“The selectors have been looking at the boys and probably, by end of the week, they will announce the squad.”

The lanky pace bowler put his international cricket career on hold in August 2018 to take up a Kolpak contract with  Northamptonshire.

Under the Kolpak deal, Muzarabani could not represent Zimbabwe since he had to give up that right in terms of the arrangement.

But, with Britain close to exiting the European Union, Kolpak deals will be nullified by the end of this year.

Muzarabani’s decisions, in the last two years, have divided opinions within the cricket fraternity.

There are some who feel the youthful paceman ditched the national team, when the side needed him the most, and has only chosen to return after things didn’t work out as planned in England.

Muzarabani, who left the country as a 21-year old rookie, played one Test, 18 one-day internationals and six Twenty20 internationals for Zimbabwe.

He took 27 wickets across all formats.

The NPL games will continue tomorrow with an interesting clash between the star-studded Harare Kings and Amakhosi at Kwekwe Sports Club.

Both teams won their opening matches.

Tomorrow’s Fixtures 

Harare Kings v Amakhosi (Kwekwe Sports Club), Takashinga v Easterns (Takashinga), Gladiators v MidWest Rhinos (Harare Sports Club), Queens v Great Zimbabwe (Queens Sports Club)