Best playing 11 of Bulawayo Braves ahead of Zim Afro T10 2023
The opening game of the Zim Afro T10 2023 will see the Harare Hurricanes square off against the Bulawayo Braves at the Harare Sports Club in Harare. This new league will kick off on July 20 in Zimbabwe and expect an exciting battle between the best players of the world.
Zimbabwean star all-rounder Sikandar Raza is the Braves’ icon player. They have selected a good squad for the inaugural edition of the Zim Afro T10 League and will be hoping to go all the way. They will be looking to start the competition on a winning note against the Hurricanes on Thursday, July 20.
Ahead of the opening game between the Harare Hurricanes and the Bulawayo Braves, let’s look at the best playing 11 of the Braves.
Openers: Ben McDermott and Joylord Gumbie
Ben McDermott is coming off a very good season with the Hampshire Hawks. He formed a formidable opening pair along with skipper James Vince and is in rich form with the bat. He is expected to open for the Bulawayo Braves in the Zim Afro T10 2023.
Joylord Gumbie was part of Zimbabwe’s squad that featured in the recently concluded ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers. The wicketkeeper-batter had a decent time in the competition. He has played seven games for Zimbabwe so far and has scored 190 runs and is expected to open alongside McDermott.
Middle-order: Beau Webster, Sikandar Raza, Ashton Turner, Innocent Kaia
Beau Webster hails from Tasmania, Australia, and burst onto the scene in the Big Bash League. He was picked up by Melbourne Renegades and is a handy all-rounder. He makes full use of his height while batting and plays some scintillating strokes. He bowls right-arm off-break as well as medium-pace and can contribute in both departments.
Sikandar Raza is one of the superstars of the game. Raza has taken giant strides in the last few years and has played a vital role for Zimbabwe. He is one of the cleanest strikers of a cricket ball and can rattle the opposition with his off-spin.
Ashton Turner of Australia has plenty of experience in the franchise league. He has successfully led Perth Scorchers to Big Bash League titles and it will come in handy while representing the Braves in the Zim Afro T10 2023. He can play the role of a finisher perfectly for the Braves.
Innocent Kaia is a player to look forward to in the Bulawayo side. The right-handed batter has represented Zimbabwe in 29 games so far and has scored close to 800 runs. He made his international debut last year and has already put in noteworthy performances for his country.
Bowlers: Ryan Burl, Thisara Perera, Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, Tymal Mills
Ryan Burl was brilliant with both bat and ball in the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers 2023. He scored some crucial runs for his side lower down the order and is very handy with the ball. He bowls leg spin and can certainly rip the opposition with his leg breaks.
Thisara Perera is one of the key all-rounders in the Braves side in the Zim Afro T10 2023. Perera bats left-handed and can certainly clear the boundary with his long levers. The 34-year-old bowls right-arm medium pace and is handy with his slower deliveries in the death.
Mujeeb Ur Rahman will be the lead spinner in the side. The Afghan spinner often troubles the opposition batters with his spin bowling and his mystery will certainly help the Braves in the Zim Afro T10 2023.
Taskin Ahmed and Tymal Mills will be leading the pace-bowling attack. Taskin has been around the international circuit for a number of years and can swing the new ball both ways. Mills is lethal with his sheer pace and nails the yorker in the death, making him a death specialist.