Zimbabwe openers Brendan Taylor and Hamilton Masakadza fly out of Harare on Tuesday evening for the Bangladeshi capital Dhaka.

The two have been contracted by Bangladeshi teams to play in that country’s Twenty20 Premier League.

Taylor will play for the Chittagong Kings, while Masakadza will play for Sylhet Royals.

At the Kings, captained by Bangladesh international Mahmudullah, the Zimbabwe skipper will join other overseas players such as Ryan Ten Doeschate of  the Netherlands, Jacob Oram of New Zealand, Wahab Riaz of Pakistan and Shaun Tait of Australia. 

Masakadza’s side is led by Bangladesh captain Mushfiqur Rahim who will also keep wicket and contribute in the middle order with the bat.

“I was hoping that Tino Best and Andre Russell would be there so that I get a headstart in acquainting myself again with Caribbean opposition ahead of the forthcoming tour to the West Indies,” said Masakadza.

The Zimbabwe top-order batsman will have to be content with sizing up West Indies all-rounder Dwayne Smith, who is part of the Royals’ foreign contingent that includes Dirk Nannes of Australia and Paul Stirling, the 22-year old Ireland opening batsman. 

Although the final of the Bangladesh Premier League is on the 18th of next month, both Masakadza and Taylor have said they will respond to the call for national duty if they are included in the Zimbabwe travelling squad to the West Indies.

“The national team always comes first and so there is no doubt that we will make it in time for the West Indies,” said Taylor before his departure tonight.


The Zimbabwe squad is set to leave Harare on the 16th of next Monday for London, en route to the West Indies where Zimbabwe will play two Twenty20 International matches, three One-Day Internationals and two Test matches against the hosts.