HEAD coach Stephen Mangongo opted for all-rounders more than anything in coming up with his final Zimbabwe Cricket Under-19 squad for the 2018 ICC Under-19 Cricket World Cup set for New Zealand.

Team balance mattered the most for Mangongo who has spent the last 20 months preparing and fine-tuning a strong 15-member squad that will represent Zimbabwe at the youth global event from January 13 to February 3.

“Basically what we have done is we have taken a lot of all-rounders. It’s a lot of all-rounders to balance and gives us variations to any game at any given time,” Mangongo told Sportszone.

“The squad was chosen after a thorough selection and they (players) were assessed during the tours and those games played consecutively that were organised by Zimbabwe Cricket.”

Zimbabwe are in group B alongside New Papua Guinea, Australia and India opponents they face on January 13, 17 and 19 respectively during the group stage.

The other positive thing to note -even before the squad has played its first game- is that Mangongo’s squad has numerous youngsters who will still be available for the 2020 edition.

Moreover, the availability of these youngsters gives ZC management another pool of players to look for the future, in particular, the Rising Stars Academy.

“It’s a young squad identified with a move for long-term plans to make sure that talent is there for Zimbabwe Cricket.

“We are looking to build a young squad so that we give these youngsters a thorough development and experience,” he said.

Zimbabwe U19 World Cup squad

Liam Roche (capt), Wesley Madhevere, Greg Dollar, Milton Shumba, Jayden Schadendorff, Tanunurwa Makoni, Donald Mlambo, Alistair Frost, Taun Harrison, Dion Myers, Nkosilatu Nunu, Jonathan Connolly, Kieran Robinson, Robert Chimhinya and Tinashe Nenhunzi.

Non-travelling reserves

Marshall Takodza, Dane Schadendorff, Tawanda Muyeye, Dion Mazhawidza and Struan Moore-Gordon.

@peeslattsB3N