QUICK ANALYSIS: Zimbabwe name ambitious squad for Ireland series and here is what we think

Zimbabwe have named what is on paper their weakest and most and inexperienced squad for their ODI series against Ireland which starts Saturday.

Only four players have at least 40 ODI matches in Chevrons jersey. Those are Sikandar Raza (136), Ryan Burl (47), Blessing Muzarabani (42) and Luke Jongwe (40).

Apart from captain Sikandar Raza and Innocent Kaia, all the players selected are aged 30 and below.

Raza and Kaia are also the only ones with ODI hundreds to their names.

What Zimbabwe may have gone with here is punting into the future.

They will not need to qualify for the 2027 ODI World Cup, for which they are co-hosts, which ostensibly means they need to create a team now.

This is not to suggest these will be the players, but what has been glaringly obvious over the last six months or so is how small the player pool is.

Craig Ervine was taken to Namibia for the ill-fated T20 Cricket World Cup Qualifier with a niggle and the risk not taken means Zimbabwe traveled a player short.

This is not to suggest that Ervine, Raza and Sean Williams are done. Not by a long shot. Other players should be thrown in the deep end especially where there injuries.

A lot of these players have performed in the recent domestic Pro50 Championship and while the situation is forced by circumstances, perhaps this is the moment to build a bigger squad.

This is particularly so in the batting department.

And with the domestic red-ball season in full swing, those left out have a chance to work on their skills.