The most thrilling format of cricket is set to take Harare by storm as the Zim Afro T10 gears up for its second season. At the recent Player Draft, six franchises assembled well-rounded and formidable squads, ensuring an exciting competition starting September 21 and culminating with the final on September 29 at the Harare Sports Club.
Nawab Shaji Ul Mulk, the founder and chairman of T Ten Global Sports, expressed his anticipation for the tournament, stating, “There’s great excitement for Season 2 of the Zim Afro T10 as some of the most entertaining players are set to break new records in Harare. The teams are all strong and well-balanced, with a good mix of youth. I wish the players an excellent tournament, and may the best team emerge victorious!”
The event will showcase cricket superstars like David Warner, Sikander Raza, Colin Munro, Dawid Malan, Carlos Brathwaite, and Chris Lynn, promising thrilling performances. Local Zimbabwean talents, who have been in fine form recently, will also be in the spotlight, adding an extra layer of excitement for home fans.
With over 400 players registered for the Player Draft, the competition was fierce. After 12 rounds of drafting, 64 players were selected across the six franchises. The Bulawayo Braves Jaguars, for instance, completed their squad with 16 players, including 12 new signings.
### Team Squads
**Cape Town Samp Army:**
Haider Ali (Pakistan), David Willey (England), Dawid Malan (England), Gulbadin Naib (Afghanistan), Qais Ahmed (Afghanistan), Adam Rossington (England), Shahnawaz Dahani (Pakistan), Rohan Mustafa (Pakistan), Salman Irshad (Pakistan), Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Ben Curran, Michael Frost, Brian Chari, Tawanda Maposa (Zimbabwe), Leonardo Julien (West Indies), and Sineth Jayawardena (Sri Lanka).
**Durban Wolves:**
Colin Munro (New Zealand), Mark Chapman (New Zealand), Will Smeed (England), Sharjeel Khan (Pakistan), Muhammad Irfan (Pakistan), Yasir Shah (Pakistan), Mohammad Rohid Khan (UAE), Muhammad Waseem (Pakistan), Regis Chakabva, Gary Ballance, Tinotenda Maposa, Donald Tiripano, Innocent Kaia, Emmanuel Bawa (Zimbabwe), Mbeki Joseph (West Indies), and Raveen De Silva (Sri Lanka).
**Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers:**
Chris Lynn (Australia), Kusal Perera (Sri Lanka), Charith Asalanka (Sri Lanka), Hazratullah Zazai (Afghanistan), Adam Milne (New Zealand), Luke Wood (England), Karim Janat (Afghanistan), George Linde (South Africa), Mohammad Shahzad (Afghanistan), Sikander Raza, Tendai Chatara, Antum Naqvi, Tashinga Musekiwa, Johnathan Campbell, Tinashe Muchawaya (Zimbabwe), Kimani Melius (West Indies), and Kevin Koththigoda (Sri Lanka).
**NYS Lagos:**
Blessing Muzarabani (Zimbabwe), Thisara Perera (Sri Lanka), Asif Ali (Pakistan), Najibullah Zadran (Afghanistan), Binura Fernando (Sri Lanka), Akhilesh Bogudum (USA), Oshane Thomas (West Indies), Avishka Fernando (Sri Lanka), Matiullah Khan (UAE), Ryan Burl, Clive Madande, Dion Myers, Romario Roach, Nyasha Mayavo, Newman Nyamhuri (Zimbabwe), Joshua Bishop (West Indies), and Kaveesh Sathsara (Sri Lanka).
**Bulawayo Braves Jaguars:**
David Warner (Australia), Carlos Brathwaite (West Indies), Nick Hobson (Australia), Kobe Herft (Australia), Laurie Evans (England), Sabir Ali (India), Akila Dhananjaya (Sri Lanka), Anamul Haque Bijoy (Bangladesh), Richard Ngarava, Brad Evans, Wellington Masakadza, Wessly Madhevere, Panashe Taruvinga, Victor Chirwa (Zimbabwe), Kirk McKenzie (West Indies), and Vishas Thewmika (Sri Lanka).
**Harare Bolts:**
Dasun Shanaka (Sri Lanka), James Neesham (New Zealand), George Munsey (Scotland), Rishad Hossain (Bangladesh), Shehan Jayasuriya (Sri Lanka), Kennar Lewis (West Indies), Richard Gleeson (England), Junaid Siddique (Canada), Lahiru Milantha (Sri Lanka), Sean Williams, Faraz Akram, Brandon Mavuta, Luke Jongwe, Alex Falao, Arinshto Vezha (Zimbabwe), Michael Palmer (West Indies), and Janishka Perera (Sri Lanka).
With a mix of international stars and local talent, this season promises to be an unmissable spectacle for cricket fans in Zimbabwe and beyond.
