Experienced Coaching Duo Join Zimbabwe Cricket Setup Ahead of India T20Is
Former South African fast bowler Charl Langeveldt has been appointed as the new bowling coach of the Zimbabwe men’s national cricket team. Meanwhile, Stuart Matsikenyeri, who previously served as the interim head coach, will now take on the role of fielding coach.
Langeveldt and Matsikenyeri will join the existing coaching staff, which includes newly appointed head coach Justin Sammons and assistant coach Dion Ebrahim. The appointments were approved by the Mhishi Committee of Inquiry, formed to investigate Zimbabwe’s failure to qualify for the recent T20 World Cup.
Langeveldt brings a wealth of international experience, having previously worked with the coaching setups of Bangladesh, South Africa, and Afghanistan. His most recent stint was with the Afghanistan team until the end of the 2023 ODI World Cup in India.
Matsikenyeri, a former Zimbabwe batter, had taken over as interim head coach prior to Sammons’ full-time appointment. He will now shift his focus to the team’s fielding, aiming to help the side’s preparations for the upcoming five-match T20I series against India, which begins in Harare on July 6.
Joining the coaching staff are South Africans Ravish Gobind, who will serve as the strategic performance coach, and Curtly Diesel, who will be the strength and conditioning coach.
The Mhishi Committee’s recommendations, which led to these coaching changes, were prompted by Zimbabwe’s disappointing performance in the T20 World Cup qualifiers, where they missed out on a spot in the main tournament. Former head coach Dave Houghton had stepped down, citing the players’ lack of responsiveness.
With the experienced duo of Langeveldt and Matsikenyeri now on board, Zimbabwe will be hoping to turn their fortunes around and put up a strong showing against the visiting Indian team.
🔗 Source