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Zimbabwe have announced their 17-member squad for the five-match T20I series against India, scheduled to start on July 6. The Zimbabwe board mentioned that they have picked a young side after they failed to qualify for the 2024 T20 World Cup and are looking to rebuild under new coach Justin Simmons.
Zimbabwe have made big calls by bringing back 33-year-old pacer Tendai Chatara and Wessly Madhvere while leaving out veterans like Craig Ervine and Sean Williams. But there’s one name everyone is looking forward to.
Zimbabwe have also added 25-year-old batter Antum Naqvi to their roster. The right-hand batter has shown some potential, and Zimbabwe Cricket is hoping that Antum will bring some X factor with him.
However, it should be noted that the young Zimbabwean batter will only play once his citizenship is accepted. As Naqvi waits to get his maiden cap, in this article, we look at five interesting facts about the new inclusion for Zimbabwe.
#1 Antum Naqvi was born in Belgium
The 25-year-old was born in the European city of Brussels, Belgium, to Pakistani parents. Antum later moved to Australia when he was four and studied there.
However, he moved to Africa in 2023 on the advice of former Zimbabwe cricketer Solomon Mire, who now lives in Australia. Now, the young batter is all set to start his international career with Zimbabwe after his great show in first-class cricket.
#2 A record-breaking inning for Mid West Rhinos
In the 10th match of the Logan Cup between the Mid West Rhinos and Matalebeland Tuskers earlier this year, Antum Naqvi created history by becoming the first player to score a triple-century in representative cricket in Zimbabwe.
The Tuskers were bowled out for 128 in their first inning, and, after that, the Rhinos scored 538, thanks to an unbeaten knock of 300 off 295 by Naqvi. He hit 30 fours and 10 sixes in his innings as the Mid West Rhinos won by an innings and 40 runs.
#3 The 25-year-old is a qualified commercial pilot
He graduated from Sydney's The Hills Sports High School and attended Hartwig Flight School to obtain his pilot's license. While speaking to BBC Sports Africa, Antum said that he loved planes while growing up. On how he balanced his cricket journey with his pilot work, he said:
"After finishing school, I went to flying school and decided that I would have to handle my time perfectly if I wanted to execute my plans for both flying and cricket. It worked out perfectly. It took me about two and a half to three years to get my commercial airline license. I would fly in the mornings and do cricket training in the afternoons," Naqvi said.
"Time management was probably the hardest bit for me. When I go back to Sydney, I try to fly as much as I can during my time off but I don't get that much time to fly anymore," he continued.
#4 He represented Zimbabwe under-25 against Uganda
In 2023, Antum Naqvi played for the Zimbabwe Under-25 side in a series against Uganda. The two-match T20 series finished 1-1.
Meanwhile, Naqvi only played the first match of the series, where he failed to impress, as he was run out on 1. In the match, he also bowled two overs but gave away 16 runs and was unable to take a wicket.
#5 The right-handed batter has an average of 72 in first-class
Antum Naqvi has played 10 first-class matches and has scored 792 runs at an average of 72. He also has four centuries. He has struck 514 runs at an average of 73.4 in eight List-A matches.
The right-arm off-break also has 20 wickets in first-class matches and nine in List-A games. The newest addition to the Zimbabwe team will look to show his class if he gets an opportunity to play against India.
