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Sports Reporter
FORMER Zimbabwe captains Graeme Cremer and Brendan Taylor have been overlooked for the upcoming home triangular series involving Pakistan and Australia.

The duo, together with Sean Williams, Craig Ervine and Sikandar Raza, who is currently playing in the Global T20 in Canada, were left out of the 22-member training squad that was named by selectors yesterday.

The squad was selected at the conclusion of a T20 practice tournament featuring Kenya, whose final was played at the Harare Sports Club on Tuesday.

But some senior players, who have been pushing for a boycott of the series to force the Zimbabwe Cricket board to settle outstanding payments, did not avail themselves for selection despite being named in the T20 practice squads.

While a few senior players completely stayed away, despite assurances by the board to settle their outstanding dues by end of July, other players such as PJ Moor, Hamilton Masakadza, Malcom Waller, Kyle Jarvis, Ryan Burl and Chris Mpofu played in the selection tournament.

The association yesterday said they have considered all the players available to them in selecting the team.

Some of the players, who are playing abroad, had asked to be excused from the selection, but confirmed their availability for the series.

There were also special cases for players like Raza, who asked to be excused since the dates of the series clash with the Global T20 tournament in Canada where he has signed for Montreal Tigers.

ZC spokesperson Darlington Majonga said the squad has since started their training camp ahead of the series which is only 10 days away.

“Zimbabwe has named a 22-man squad for the Twenty20 international triangular series with Australia and Pakistan scheduled for 1-8 July 2018 in Harare.

“The selectors picked the squad from the players who participated in the 20-over tournament involving two local sides, the Zimbabwe Select and Board XI, and Kenya.

“Players involved in competitive cricket abroad who made themselves available for selection were also considered.

“The squad, which will be trimmed down to 15 by next Monday, started a training camp in Harare today under interim head coach Lalchand Rajput,” said Majonga.

The squad also saw the return of forgotten players like Elton Chigumbura and new kids on the block Rugare Magarira, Ryan Murray, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe and Brendon Mavuta.

Indian Rajput, who was named interim coach, arrived in the country last week and has been acclimatising to the new conditions and also familiarising with the players during the T20 selection tournament.

Squad:

1. Zhuwao, C. Chibhabha, H. Masakadza, S. Mire, T. Musakanda, T. Kamunhukamwe, E. Chigumbura, M. Waller, B. Chari, PJ. Moor, D. Tiripano, W. Masakadza, T. Chisoro, B. Muzarabani, R. Murray, K. Jarvis, C. Mpofu, P. Masvaure, J. Nyumbu, R. Burl, B. Mavuta, R. Magarira.