Taibu back in national team

Tatenda Taibu is slated to make his return to the national team after being picked for the 16-member Zimbabwe squad for the tour of Bangladesh later this month. He would by then have completed a ten-match ban slapped on him by Zimbabwe Cricket for assaulting its general finance manager, an incident he previously lied about in court.

Taibu, 26, last played an ODI in January this year and was subsequently dropped from the national squad after refusing to play in anything other than his own kit, before the assault incident. He will miss five home ODIs against Kenya that will help him complete the ban.

More recently, he played for the Zimbabwe XI team in the Intercontinental Cup, and was also part of the Zimbabwe A squad that took on the Bangladesh in a tour game ahead of their five-match ODI series in Zimbabwe in August. He has also scored 177 runs at 29.50 for the Mountaineers in the three matches he's played so far played in the Logan Cup.

Alistair Campbell, the former Zimbabwean captain and the current chairman of selectors, informed that while the 16-strong squad will take on Kenya for the home ODl series beginning October 12, the final 15 for the trip to Bangladesh at the end of November will be announced only after the five-match encounter ends, in Harare.

Campbell also announced the Zimbabwe XI team that would take part in the Intercontinental Cup fixture against Kenya from October 7-10 in Kwekwe.

While Chamu Chibhabha, Ed Rainsford and Vusi Sibanda dropped down to the Zimbabwe XI squad from the team that lost 1-4 to Bangladesh at home, Tawanda Mupariwa did not feature in either squad. Kyle Jarvis, Chris Mpofu, Forster Mutizwa and Malcolm Waller were the new additions for the Kenya series. In fact, Jarvis and Mutizwa have also been picked for the Zimbabwe XI squad.

Zimbabwe squad for Kenya series (finalised) and Bangladesh tour (yet to be confirmed): Elton Chigumbura, Charles Coventry, Graeme Cremer, Trevor Garwe, Kyle Jarvis, Ray Price, Hamilton Masakadza, Stuart Matsikenyeri, Chris Mpofu, Forster Mutizwa, Tatenda Taibu (only for Bangladesh), Brendan Taylor, Prosper Utseya (capt), Mark Vermuelen, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams

Zimbabwe XI squad: Chamu Chibhabha, Regis Chikabvha, Kyle Jarvis, Friday Kasteni, Timycen Maruma, Shingirai Masakadza, Forster Mutizwa, John Nyumbu, Ed Rainsford, Vusi Sibanda (capt), Gregory Strydom, Tafadzwa Kamungozi, Samuel Mwakayeni