The Zimbabwe cricket team's journey has been a roller-coaster one on the international stage. From being one of the most competitive teams in the 90s to becoming a relatively weaker team in the 2000s, Zimbabwe cricket has seen it all. However, the team has been performing extremely well in recent times and has given some incredible performances. We shall now mention some of Zimbabwe's longest-serving cricketers in Twenty-20 internationals.
1. Hamilton Masakadza
First on our list is Hamilton Masakadza, a former Zimbabwe captain and top-order batter from Harare. Masakadza first played a T20 international for Zimbabwe in 2006 against Bangladesh at Khulna. He played in 66 T20Is and scored 1662 runs at an average of 25.96 with 11 fifties to his name. In 2018, he played his last match against Bangladesh at Mirpur.
2. Sean Williams
Sean Williams is one of Zimbabwe’s most crucial and best all-rounders in white-ball cricket. Williams is a left-handed middle-order batter and bowls left-arm slow orthodox. Since making his T20I debut in 2006, he has played in 58 matches, scoring over 1200 runs and picking up 38 wickets at an average of 29.65.
3. Sikandar Raza
Sikandar Raza is a Pakistan-born batting all-rounder for Zimbabwe. Raza plays as a right-handed batter and bowls right-arm off spin. In 2013, he made his T20 international debut against Bangladesh at Bulawayo. Since then, he has played in 58 T20Is, scoring 1040 runs and picking up 28 wickets at an average of 30.60.
4. Elton Chigumbura
Elton Chigumbura was the captain of the Zimbabwe team and a handy all-rounder. Elton batted as a right-handed batter and bowled right-arm fast medium. From 2006 to 2020, he played for Zimbabwe in 57 T20 internationals and scored 893 runs and picked up 16 wickets at an average of 26.68.
5. Craig Ervine
Craig Ervine, an elegant and prolific left-handed middle-order batter from Harare, is next to feature on the list. Ervine played his first T20 international in 2010 against Sri Lanka at Providence. Until 2022, he has featured in 49 T20Is for Zimbabwe and has scored 1020 runs at an average of 22.66 with five fifties to his name.
6. Ryan Burl
Ryan Burl is a left-handed middle-order batter and a part-time right-arm leg spinner. In 2018, Burl made his first appearance for Zimbabwe in T20I cricket against Afghanistan at Sharjah. Since then, he has featured in 47 T20Is for Zimbabwe and has scored 728 runs at an average of 26. He has picked up 32 wickets at an average of 21.93.
7. Brendan Taylor
Brendan Taylor, one of Zimbabwe’s best wicketkeeper batters and a former captain, is next on our list. Taylor started his T20I career in 2006 when he first played against Bangladesh at Khulna. He featured for Zimbabwe in T20Is until 2021 and played in 45 matches. He scored 934 runs at an average of 23.94.
8. Regis Chakabva
Regis Chakabva is a right-handed wicketkeeper batter from Harare. Chakabva was first seen playing for Zimbabwe in T20 internationals in 2008. He played his first T20I against Pakistan at King City. Until 2022, he has played in 41 matches, scoring 637 runs at an average of 16.33, and has 14 dismissals to his name.
9. Tendai Chatara
Tendai Chatara is a right-arm fast bowler from Chimanimani and one of the few genuine fast bowlers to feature on this list. In 2010, Chatara first played a T20I for Zimbabwe against India in Harare. Since then, he has featured in 40 T20Is with 47 wickets to his name at an average of 22.97.
10. Luke Jongwe
Luke Jongwe is a right-arm fast bowler from Harare who made his debut in T20 internationals in 2015 against Pakistan in Harare. Until 2022, he has played in 38 T20Is, picking up 48 wickets at an impressive average of 19.72 with best bowling figures of 4 for 18.