Five leading players declared 'unavailable' as fallout from player payment issue continues
Zimbabwe squad missing star quintet
Zimbabwe will be without five of their star players for the upcoming T20I tri-series with Australia and Pakistan due to the ongoing dispute over player payments.
Brendan Taylor, Sikandar Raza, Graeme Cremer, Sean Williams and Craig Ervine were all left out of the squad for the series that begins on July 1 against Pakistan in Harare.
None of those players have featured for Zimbabwe since the disappointing World Cup qualifying campaign, as they await salary and match fee payments. A lawyer representing the player group had given Zimbabwe Cricket until June 25 to pay the players – a deadline that has since lapsed.
Convenor of selectors Walter Chawaguta said he hoped "things resolve themselves".
"Our hope is that they avail themselves, and if they do avail themselves then the selectors will have to sit down and see where they fit in in the greater scheme of things," Chawaguta said.
"We based our selection on the players that are available.
"By saying 'available', today we finished our T20 practice match and all these players that are being looked at here, with the exception of Elton (Chigumbura) who is not feeling well, were available and completed the match.
"My assumption is that everyone is available and I have no reason to believe otherwise."
Australia's first match of the series is on July 2 against the hosts in Harare. They first play England in a one-off T20I on Wednesday night (UK time) at Edgbaston.
Zimbabwe squad for T20 tri-series: Cephas Zhuwao, Chamu Chibhabha, Brian Chari, Tarisai Musakanda, Malcolm Waller, PJ Moor, Tendai Chisoro, Kyle Jarvis, Brandon Mavuta, Blessing Muzarabani, Chris Mpofu, Ryan Burl, Solomon Mire, Ryan Murray, Hamilton Masakadza, Wellington Masakadza, Elton Chigumbura.
Qantas tours of the UK and Zimbabwe
Australia T20 squad: Aaron Finch (c), Alex Carey (vc), Ashton Agar, Travis Head, Nic Maddinson, Glenn Maxwell, Jhye Richardson, Kane Richardson, D’Arcy Short, Billy Stanlake, Marcus Stoinis, Mitchell Swepson, Andrew Tye, Jack Wildermuth
England T20 squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Moeen Ali, Jonny Bairstow, Jake Ball, Jos Buttler, Sam Curran, Tom Curran, Alex Hales, Chris Jordan, Liam Plunkett, Adil Rashid, Joe Root, Jason Roy, David Willey
Qantas Tour of the UK
June 7: Australia beat Sussex by 57 runs at Hove
June 9: Australia beat Middlesex by 101 runs at Lord's
June 13: England won by three wickets at The Oval
June 16: England won by 38 runs in Cardiff
June 19: England won by 242 runs at Trent Bridge
June 21: England won by six wickets in Durham
June 24: England won by one wicket at Old Trafford
June 27: Only T20, Edgbaston (D/N)
Qantas T20I tri-series Tour of Zimbabwe
July 1: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan
July 2: Pakistan vs Australia
July 3: Australia vs Zimbabwe
July 4: Zimbabwe vs Pakistan
July 5: Pakistan vs Australia
July 6: Australia vs Zimbabwe
July 8: Final