Zimbabwe Cricket appoint Justin Sammons as senior men's team head coach

Zimbabwe Cricket has appointed Justin Sammons as the new head coach of the senior men's national team, leading in a fresh era following the team's failure to qualify for the T20 World Cup 2024.

Sammons, who has a vast coaching experience in South African cricket, takes over from Dave Houghton whose tenure ended after Zimbabwe missed out on being part of the ongoing global event.

Sammons will be assisted by former Zimbabwe international Dion Ebrahim. Sammons previously worked with South Africa's high-performance program and served as the Proteas' batting consultant from 2021-2023 and also has experience working with several domestic sides in South Africa.

"We are delighted to confirm Justin as head coach of the Zimbabwe senior men's national team. He brings a wealth of coaching experience and a reputation for identifying, nurturing, and developing some of the best young talent in South Africa. His hard-working and passionate approach as well as sense of values on and off the pitch make him the ideal person to take us forward," Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani said in a statement. 

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Elton Chigumbura, Paul Adams to serve as Zimbabwe U19 coaches

Sammons expressed his excitement at the opportunity and feels like a privilege to be in charge of reviving the fortunes of such a talented group of players. The appointments could not come at a more crucial juncture for Zimbabwean cricket. Having failed to reach the last three global tournaments, the team faces an uphill battle to qualify for the next edition of the T20 World Cup in 2026. A home World Cup in 2027 provides hope, but Zimbabwe will be desperate to stop its declining fortunes long before then.

"It is an absolute privilege to be appointed as the Zimbabwe Senior Men's National Team Head Coach. I look forward to the road ahead and I am excited to start working with this talented group of players."

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The coaching setup also witnesses more changes, with former Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura named head coach of the Under-19 side. Rangarirai Norbert Manyande, who represented both Zimbabwe and Namibia, will serve as Chigumbura's assistant and batting coach, while the experienced Paul Adams joins as bowling coach.

Sammons and Ebrahim's first assignment as coaches will be to prepare a competitive squad for a five-match T20I series against mighty India in Harare, starting from July 6 to July 14.