Chawaguta Confident Zimbabwe Can Turn Fortunes Around In White-ball Series In Sri Lanka

Premadasa International Cricket Stadium: Zimbabwe’s interim men’s head coach Walter Chawaguta is backing his team to turn around their poor form when they face Sri Lanka in the white-ball series that starts on Saturday.

The two sides will meet in three ODIs scheduled for January 6, 8 and 11 and as many T20Is to be held on January 14, 16 and 18 at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo.

The white-ball tour of Sri Lanka comes on the back of Zimbabwe’s failure to qualify for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup 2024, as well as losing a limited-overs series at home to Ireland, which resulted in the exit of head coach Dave Houghton.

"It’s been pleasant to be back with the team and being involved with what’s going on, in what I believe is a turnaround, us taking a new leaf in the way things are. Obviously, we have come from a bad space as a team and as Zimbabwe cricket in general, with the team not playing to expectations.

"So here we have sat down, we have had chats since (last week’s regional games in) Bulawayo and everyone is ready to turn things around,” said Chawaguta, who previously had a stint as the national side’s head coach before his latest appointment in an interim capacity, after the side’s first practice session in Colombo.

He also said Zimbabwe will be counting on the experience of players who were part of Zimbabwe’s last two tours to Sri Lanka, including captain Craig Ervine and star all-rounder Sikandar Raza.

"First and foremost, we do admit things haven’t been good but generally we know we have got a bunch of players who are good enough to overturn Sri Lanka. A few years ago when we were here we won a one-day series and some of the players are here.”

"And even the last tour of Sri Lanka by Zimbabwe there were some good performances there as well and some of the players are here. So, the players understand well what the conditions are and what the expectation is and we are looking at getting at the very least a win, two-one.”

"We do understand Sri Lanka are a good side and we know if we are to come right everyone has to turn up and play their role and play their role well for us to come out on top. But we are ready for them," he concluded.