Zimbabwe have confirmed that veteran batter Sean Williams has been released from their squad for the ongoing Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Region Final. The 39-year-old, who has been one of Zimbabwe’s most experienced campaigners, has stepped away for personal reasons. In his place, wicketkeeper-batter Clive Madande has been drafted into the side.
Zimbabwe began their campaign on a positive note, defeating Uganda by five wickets in their opening game on Friday. Uganda set a target of 153, but Zimbabwe chased it down with 15 balls to spare, thanks to a superb knock from Brian Bennett. The young batter struck a brilliant 72 off 44 balls to anchor the chase. Earlier, Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans starred with the ball, each claiming three wickets to restrict Uganda. Notably, Williams did not feature in the match before his withdrawal from the squad was confirmed.
The Africa Region Final is being held in Zimbabwe and features eight teams: Botswana, Kenya, Malawi, Namibia, Nigeria, Tanzania, Uganda, and the hosts. The stakes are high, as the top two teams from the tournament will earn qualification for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup, scheduled to be held in India and Sri Lanka during February and March.
Zimbabwe, captained by Sikandar Raza, are among the favorites to secure a spot in the global event, especially with the presence of seasoned names such as Brendan Taylor, Ryan Burl, Richard Ngarava, and Muzarabani. The addition of Madande gives the squad an extra wicketkeeping option alongside his batting skills.
Despite Williams’ absence, Zimbabwe remain confident of advancing, with the team showing early signs of momentum in their quest to book a World Cup berth.
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