On July 1, Zimbabwe announced the squad for their five-match home series against the reigning T20 World Cup champions. The announcement saw significant changes.
Mainstays Craig Ervine and Sean Williams, as well as Ryan Burl, Joylord Gumbie and Ainsley Ndlovu – all of who featured in the Chevrons' 4-1 series loss against Bangladesh in May – are no longer a part of the side, as newly appointed head coach Justin Sammons seeks to rebuild the team for the 2026 T20 World Cup, with Zimbabwe having missed out on qualifying for the tournament in 2024.
Many of the changes, especially the return of established internationals like Wessly Madhevere, Brandon Mavuta, and Tendai Chatara to the team, are unsurprising. However, the same cannot be said for Naqvi's call-up, which is creating a serious buzz of excitement – not least because he only made his professional debut in 2023 and six months ago became the first batter to score a triple century for any Zimbabwean side in professional cricket history.
Also Read: Predicted India XI for first Zimbabwe T20I
A scarcely believable batting record across formats
Naqvi's triple century against the Matabeleland Tuskers was not an isolated example of batting brilliance either. Having played ten matches, Naqvi currently averages 72 in first-class cricket and has already breached the three-figure mark on four separate occasions. He has never scored a fifty without failing to convert it into a century.
His List A numbers are even more impressive. He has smashed 514 runs in 8 innings, at an average of 73.42 and with a strike rate of over 110 for the Mid West Rhinos in Zimbabwe's domestic Pro50 Championship.
He strikes at almost 150 and averages a touch under 35 in T20s, too – and that is without mentioning his more than useful off-spin bowling.
Zimbabwe include Naqvi in squad for T20I series against India
— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) July 1, 2024
Details 🔽https://t.co/MYR4waitsL pic.twitter.com/6pIg6AYy12
Naqvi has already generated considerable excitement and expectation despite having only played 25 professional games, but the heaps of runs he has scored is not the only interesting thing about his cricketing journey thus far.
An eventful life
The 25-year-old Naqvi was born in Belgium before moving to Australia, where he trained to become a pilot. After earning his aviation license, he put his career on hold to pursue cricket.
In fact, Naqvi started playing cricket in Australia, where he has lived since he was four. He only relocated to Zimbabwe in 2023, to pursue his cricketing dream, on the advice of former Zimbabwe international Solomon Mire, who played club cricket with Naqvi in Australia.
"I've known him [Mire] for about eight or nine years and he showed me what comes with cricket, as a professional cricketer, so that's how our friendship grew," said Naqvi in an interview with BBC Sport Africa. "He felt that I was ready to move to the next step in cricket and told me the Rhinos in Zimbabwe were struggling at the time."
Naqvi made a mark instantly, scoring 140 not out on debut for the Rhinos, as they routed Mashonaland Eagles by an innings and 133 runs. And from there, there was no turning back.
Having already come such a long way, against all odds, Naqvi has the opportunity to follow in the footsteps of one of his heroes, Pakistan-born Zimbabwean cricketing icon Sikandar Raza. "Raza is definitely one of the best in the world. He knows his game; he knows his bowling," said Naqvi in the same interview.
"I want to be a similar player to him. We are both batting all-rounders and I am somewhat following in his footsteps."
On July 6, Naqvi will have a chance to do just. He is all but certain to make his debut for the Chevrons under the captaincy of one of his idols and will have the chance to play a key role in upsetting a belligerent Indian team – a side that has won their previous 12 completed T20Is.
Naqvi scored a century on his first-class debut, an explosive 41 off 31 balls on his List A debut, and an unbeaten 26 on his T20 debut – being crucial to the Rhinos winning each of these games. So, don't be too surprised if the Chevrons' Belgium-born pilot-cum-cricketer has yet another unforgettable debut on Saturday (or later in the series), one in which he puts his all-round abilities on display against the No.1 ranked T20I side only a week after they became just the third team ever to win the T20 World Cup twice.
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