Veteran batsman Sean Williams has been released from Zimbabwe’s squad for the Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Region Final for personal reasons. The 39-year-old left the squad ahead of their campaign on home soil, with wicketkeeper-batter Clive Madande named as his direct replacement. Williams did not feature in Zimbabwe’s opening match of the tournament, which took place on Friday.
The host nation commenced their qualifying journey successfully despite Williams’ absence, securing a five-wicket victory over Uganda. The win was built on a strong bowling performance, with Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans each taking three wickets to restrict Uganda to 152. The chase was then anchored by a powerful 44-ball 72 from Brian Bennett, guiding Zimbabwe to their target with 15 balls to spare.
The tournament features eight teams—Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and the host Zimbabwe—all competing for two coveted spots. The top two finishers will earn qualification for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka in February and March of 2026.
The revised Zimbabwe squad, led by Sikandar Raza, now moves forward without Williams’ experience. The full squad is: Sikandar Raza (capt), Brian Bennett, Ryan Burl, Brad Evans, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Tashinga Musekiwa, Tinotenda Maposa, Tony Munyonga, Dion Myers, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava, and Brendan Taylor.
