Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) announced a complete overhaul of its senior men’s national team’s technical staff on Thursday, replacing interim Head Coach Walter Chawaguta and his support team ahead of the white-ball tour of Sri Lanka in January.
The move follows the resignation of former head coach Dave Houghton on December 20, after Zimbabwe failed to qualify for the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup through the Africa Qualifier. Houghton cited the need for a “new voice” to lead the team forward, a sentiment accepted by the ZC board.
Although ZC had initially appointed Walter Chawaguta as interim coach for the Sri Lanka tour, the organization has now named a full interim technical team. Stuart Matsikenyeri will serve as Assistant Coach and Batting Coach, while Steve Kirby will grab on the role of Bowling Coach. Erick Chauluka has been appointed Fielding Coach and Walter Karimanzira will be responsible for Fitness and Conditioning. Amato Machikicho will serve as the team’s Physiotherapist, Alistair Chambe as Team Doctor, and Mufaro Chiturumani as Analyst.
Darlington Majonga will fulfill a dual role as Team Manager and Media Manager, and Lovemore Banda will be responsible for Logistics. The appointments were confirmed in an official statement released by ZC.
Chawaguta’s previous tenure as Zimbabwe’s head coach was in 2008, a period coinciding with a significant crisis in Zimbabwean cricket, marked by difficulties in attracting experienced overseas coaches. He currently coaches the Tuskers, a provincial first-class side, and has likewise served as a batting consultant for the Zimbabwe Senior Women’s National team.
The white-ball tour of Sri Lanka is scheduled to include three One Day International (ODI) matches on January 6, 8, and 11, followed by two Twenty20 International (T20I) fixtures on January 14, 16, and 18. All matches will be played at the R. Premadasa International Cricket Stadium in Colombo.
As of Thursday, Zimbabwe Cricket has not announced a timeline for the selection of a permanent head coach.
