BELGIUM-BORN cricketer Antum Naqvi, who is based in Australia, has sent a come-and-get-me plea to Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) declaring his intentions to play for the Chevrons.
The 24-year-old explosive top order batsman got the nation excited following a post-match interview on his side Takashinga's X (formally Twitter) handle.
A clean hitter of the ball and a talented off-spinner who is turning out for Takashinga 2, Naqvi said he is available should ZC want his services.
“Yah, I would love to (play for Zimbabwe) if I get an opportunity to represent Zimbabwe Cricket. I will definitely take it up,” Naqvi said in the video.
“It's such a great nation and all these opportunities coming with the NPL. They're doing such a great job with all this talent. If the opportunity arises, I would like to represent Zimbabwe.”
He has played five First Class matches for Rhinos and three T20s. Naqvi took five wickets; four for 22 runs in seven overs in the first innings and one in the second scoring an unbeaten 140 runs in the first innings on his First Class debut for Rhinos against Eagles in Kwekwe in January. Rhinos went on to win that match by an innings and 133 runs.
Naqvi is currently ranked third in the National Premier League T20 Blast underway across the country. He has scored 186 runs in four innings averaging 46.50 and a strike rate of 167.57.
Nick Welch leads the leader board table with 323 runs from six innings averaging 64.60 while Milton Shumba occupies second place with 252 runs, an average of 50.40 from six innings.
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Following his capacity to bowl, Naqvi is number four on Most Valuable Player points schedule with a rating of 31.21 behind leaders, Shumba (37.58), Welch (33.67) and Donald Tiripano (31.24).
He will be a welcome addition for the Chevrons who lost Gary Ballance to retirement less than a year after switching his allegiance from England to join the Chevrons.
