Antum Naqvi, a cricketer of Pakistani descent, has earned his maiden call-up to Zimbabwe’s squad for the five-match T20I series against India in Harare, pending confirmation of his citizenship status.
The 25-year-old top-order batsman gained attention earlier this year by becoming the first player to score a triple century for any Zimbabwean team in representative cricket, achieving an unbeaten 300 for Mid West Rhinos in the Logan Cup. Naqvi assumed captaincy of the team in just his second year in Zimbabwean domestic cricket.
Naqvi boasts a formidable strike rate of 146.80 in seven T20 matches. Born in Brussels, Belgium, to Pakistani parents, he moved to Australia at the age of four and obtained a commercial airline pilot’s license before pausing his aviation career to pursue cricket.
Joining Sikandar Raza, the first Pakistani-origin player in Zimbabwe’s squad who is also captaining the team in the series, Naqvi was part of Lahore Qalandars’ player development program for the Queen’s series in Australia.
Zimbabwe, having missed qualification for the recent T20 World Cup 2024, will face India in a series of five T20I matches scheduled from July 6 to 14.
Zimbabwe Squad:
Sikandar Raza (capt), Faraz Akram, Brian Bennett, Johnathan Campbell, Tendai Chatara, Luke Jongwe, Innocent Kaia, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wellington Masakadza, Brandon Mavuta, Blessing Muzarabani, Dion Myers, Antum Naqvi, Richard Ngarava, Milton Shumba
