Zimbabwe Cricket has named a 17-man squad to face Australia and Pakistan in the Twenty20 international (T20I) triangular series set for July. Convener of selectors Walter Chawaguta told reporters that Brendan Taylor, Sikandar Raza, Graeme Cremer, Sean Williams and Craig Ervine were omitted from the squad because they declared themselves unavailable. Said Chawaguta,
I don’t think there is any doubt in terms of the quality that we have that has been left out of the squad. There are some players that have proven themselves over time and there’s been a massive investment in those players. 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. Our hope is that things resolve themselves and those players avail themselves.
…I’ve personally spoken to everyone one of those players and they didn’t make themselves available…Those players were contacted but made themselves unavailable. They didn’t play in the tri-series. Towards the end of the tri-series I personally got hold of every single one of those players and every one of them made themselves unavailable until their issues are sorted out. I had a word with Brendan Taylor yesterday and told him it was time he set the record straight. Hopefully, that happens soon.
More: Espncricinfo.com