WARRIORS striker Macauley Bonne says he is “buzzing” to be back in the national team after he was named in the squad to participate in a four-nation tournament in Malawi next week.
The Cambridge United forward, on loan from fourth tier league side Gillingham, is one of the eight England-based players that were on Tuesday announced in the squad to compete in a tournament involving hosts Malawi, Zambia and Kenya.
The tournament, which the countries are using to prepare for the June World Cup qualifiers, will run from March 18 to 26 in Lilongwe.
Bonne, who has three national team caps, is returning to the Warriors fold for the first time since 2021.
His last appearance with the team came in a friendly match in Windhoek against Namibia three years ago, and he has ignored further calls to the national team.
But it appears the England-born player will accept the invite to feature for Zimbabwe again.
Reacting to his latest call-up, Bonne posted on his social media pages, saying: “Buzzing to be back with national team.”
Also making a return to the national team squad is defender Brendan Galloway who is enjoying a good season at English championship side Plymouth Argyle.
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Highly-rated Tawanda Maswanhise, who plays for Leicester City’s development side, has once again been called up to the national team despite ignoring past invitations.
Goalkeeper Marley Tavaziva of Brentford’s B team, Shane Maroodza of Huddersfield Town, Joey Phuthi of Sheffield Wednesday and Tawanda Chirewa are the other England-based players who have been called up and will be chasing their Warriors debut.
Chirewa plays for English Premier League side Wolves and has made some cameo appearances for the side in recent weeks.
Dynamos captain Emmanuel Jalai and his former teammate Junior Makunike, now at Simba Bhora, have both been rewarded with national team call-ups after some impressive displays in the domestic league.
Belgium-based Bill Antonio and Luton’s Marvelous Nakamba are the two major absentees from the squad due to injuries.
FC Platinum coach Norman Mapeza will take charge of the Warriors squad for the duration of the tournament after Zifa’s Normalisation Committee announced him as the interim coach on Tuesday.
The former Warriors coach and captain will be assisted by Ngezi Platinum Stars coach Takesure Chiragwi.
Zimbabwe has named a strong looking squad for the tournament as they want to make full use of the Fifa calendar to prepare for the resumption of the World Cup qualifiers in June.
The coaches retained the bulk of the squad that played in the two qualifiers against Rwanda and Nigeria in November last year.
Zimbabwe resume their qualification campaign with a home game against Lesotho in the first weekend of June before travelling to South Africa the following week.
The Warriors are fifth in a six-team Group C with two points from two matches.
Rwanda lead the group with four points, followed by South Africa on three, while Nigeria, Zimbabwe and Lesotho are tied on two points each.
Benin anchor the log standings with one point.
The winner of the group will qualify directly to the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Warriors squad
Goalkeepers: Donovan Bernard (Chicken Inn), Martin Mapisa (Dynamos), Marley Tavaziva (Brentford B, England)
Defenders: Shane Maroodza (Huddersfield Town, England, Devine Lunga (Mamelodi Sundowns, South Africa), Gerald Takwara (Ohod FC, Saudi Arabia), Kevin Moyo (Dynamos), Teenage Hadebe (Konyaspor, Turkey), Peter Muduhwa (Highlanders), Munashe Garan’anga (KV Mechelen, Belgium), Emmanuel Jalai (Dynamos), Brendan Galloway (Plymouth Argyle England), Jordan Zemura (Udinese, Italy), Joey Phuthi (Sheffield Wednesday, England).
Midfielders: Marshall Munetsi (Reims, France), Junior Makunike (Simba Bhora), Tivonge Rushesha (Reading, England), Andy Rinomhota (Rotherham, England), Tawanda Chirewa (Wolves, England) Walter Musona (Simba Bhora)
Strikers: Tino Kadewere (Nantes, France), Daniel Msendami (Jwaneng Galaxy, Botswana) Tawanda Maswanhise (Leicester, England), Macauley Bonne (Cambridge United, England)
