Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) has confirmed a new leadership structure for its national teams, appointing Richard Ngarava as captain of the Test and One-Day International (ODI) sides while retaining Sikandar Raza as captain of the Twenty20 International (T20I) team, Reuters reported. The move signals the beginning of a new era for Zimbabwean cricket as the board looks to build on recent progress and prepare for future international competitions.
The 27-year-old left-arm fast bowler Ngarava succeeds veteran batter Craig Ervine, who stepped aside after leading Zimbabwe through a rebuilding phase. Ngarava has already demonstrated his leadership credentials by guiding Zimbabwe to a memorable Test victory over Bangladesh and an ODI series triumph earlier this year. Zimbabwe Cricket said the appointments are part of a long-term strategy to rejuvenate the national side, with Brian Bennett continuing as vice-captain in both Test and ODI cricket to strengthen the team’s future leadership pipeline.
Meanwhile, experienced all-rounder Sikandar Raza will continue leading Zimbabwe in the T20I format, providing continuity in the shortest version of the game after helping the Chevrons remain competitive on the international stage. In women’s cricket, Josephine Nkomo has also been appointed captain of the Zimbabwe women’s national team, completing a broad leadership overhaul across the country’s senior international sides. Zimbabwe Cricket said the appointments reflect its commitment to developing leaders capable of guiding the teams through the next phase of growth.
The leadership changes come as Zimbabwe seeks to strengthen its performances across all formats ahead of a busy international calendar and the build-up to the 2027 ICC Cricket World Cup, which the country will co-host alongside South Africa and Namibia. Analysts believe the combination of Ngarava’s emerging leadership, Raza’s experience, and renewed investment in younger talent could provide Zimbabwe with greater stability and competitiveness as it pursues sustained success on the global stage.
