The left-handed batter Ben Curran, who is the son of the former Zimbabwe pace bowler Kevin Curran and the middle brother of England’s veteran all-rounders Sam and Tom, has received his maiden call-up to the Zimbabwe squad for the three-match one-day international against touring Afghanistan side, starting December 11.
The 28-year-old Curran represented Northamptonshire until 2022 before he moved to play for Zimbabwe, where he spent the lion’s share of his childhood. The right-handed batter has thumped 999 runs in 34 List-A innings at an average of 33.30 and a strike rate of over 81 with the help of eight half-centuries and one century at the best score of 125.
In the shortest format of the game, Ben has cracked 575 runs in 28 innings at a strike rate of around 127, with the help of six half-centuries at the best score of 71. In the recent Pro50 Championship season, playing for the Rhinos, he was the leading run-getter with 258 runs in four innings at an average of 64.50.
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Even in the longest format of the game, he has started to take giant strides and expects to wear the Zimbabwe cap in the Test format. In 75 innings with the red-ball, he has collected 2429 runs at an average of 34.70 and a strike rate of 53, thanks to 12 half-centuries and three centuries with a best score of 145.
Takudzwanashe Kaitano set to make T20I debut for Zimbabwe
In the recent season of the Logan Cup 2024/25, Ben has grabbed 519 runs in four games to be the leading run-getter of the competition at an average of 74.14 and a strike rate of 75.45, shouldering on two centuries and as many half-centuries at the best score of 145.
Along with him, the 18-year-old quick bowler, Newman Nyamhuri, has also got a look in for the white-ball leg of the series. The left-arm medium pacer was the highest wicket-taker for Zimbabwe in the 2024 Under-19 Men’s World Cup with eight scalps in five innings at an average of 26.75, an economy rate of 5.70, and a strike rate of 28.12. His two List-A outings for the Southern Rocks included a 4/43 in the previous week, as he has found a place in both the T20I and ODI squads.
The selection committee has left out Faraz Akram, Brandon Mavuta, and Clive Mandande from their last assignment of three ODIs and three T20Is at home against Pakistan, both of which they went on to lose by a 2-1 margin. Takudzwanashe Kaitano is in line to make his T20I debut.
The 31-year-old opening batter for Zimbabwe has been part of 21 T20s where he has drilled 333 runs at an average of 15.85 and a strike rate of 120 with the help of two half-centuries at the best score of 61. Victor Nyauchi is also making his return to the ODI squad as well, as his last 50-over clash was against Ireland at the start of last year.
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The three-match T20I series for Zimbabwe will begin on December 11 before the ODI leg begins on December 17. All of the six fixtures will take place in Harare before the focus shifts to Bulawayo for the Boxing Day and New Year’s Test.
Zimbabwe Squad For ODI And T20I Series vs Afghanistan
T20I Squad: Sikandar Raza (captain), 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.
ODI Squad: Craig Ervine (captain), 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