Cape Town Samp Army announce marquee players for Zim Afro T10

Maheesh Theekshana Sri LankaMaheesh Theekshana.

The Cape Town Samp Army have announced four marquee players ahead of this month’s inaugural edition of the Zim Afro T10.

The Cape Town Samp Army recruited Sri Lanka duo Maheesh Theekshana and Bhanuka Rajapaksa, alongside Afghanistan pair Karim Janat and Rahmanullah Gurbaz, ahead of 3 July 2023’s Zim Afro T10 player draft.

Theekshana played for the Joburg Super Kings in the SA20 and Chennai Super Kings in the Indian Premier League earlier this year.

The five-team Zim Afro T10 is scheduled for 20 to 29 July. All the matches will be played in Harare.

The Cape Town Samp Army, Harare Hurricanes, Durban Qalandars, Joburg Buffaloes and Bulawayo Braves have each announced four marquee players. They will complete the 16-man squads during Sunday’s draft.

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Zim Afro T10 pre-draft signings

Harare Hurricanes

  • Eoin Morgan
  • Evin Lewis
  • Shahnawaz Dahani
  • Robin Uthappa

Cape Town Samp Army

  • Bhanuka Rajapaksa
  • Karim Janat
  • Rahmanullah Gurbaz
  • Maheesh Theekshana

Durban Qalandars

  • Asif Ali
  • Sisanda Magala
  • George Linde
  • Hazratullah Zazai

Joburg Buffaloes

  • Yusuf Pathan
  • Mushfiqur Rahim
  • Tom Banton
  • Noor Ahmed

Bulawayo Braves

  • Sikandar Raza
  • Ashton Turner
  • Tymal Mills
  • Ben McDermott

Zim Afro T10 background

The Zim Afro T10 is effectively an extension of the Abu Dhabi T10, which is owned by T Ten Sports Management.

T Ten Global Sports founder and chairman Nawab Shaji Ul Mulk said: “To bring the T10 to Zimbabwe has been high on the agenda for us in the recent past, and that we are on the home stretch ahead of the inaugural edition of the tournament, is a source of great satisfaction for me.

“This is a red-letter day in the history of the sport. There will be another landmark on the day of the player draft. We can’t wait to get things rolling and welcome the best of the best players to Harare.”

Zimbabwe Cricket managing director Givemore Makoni added: “We are in the final stages ahead of the Zim Afro T10’s inaugural edition. This gives me immense joy, because to see this play out in reality has been a dream for all of the Zimbabwean cricket family.

“It is a watershed moment in the history of the sport in the country. The fans, I am sure, are keenly waiting for the opening day.”

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