Ben Curran Replaces Injured Brendan Taylor in Zimbabwe’s T20 World Cup Squad

Taylor, 40, suffered a hamstring injury in Zimbabwe’s opening T20 World Cup match against Oman, where he had to retire hurt on 31 off 30 balls after taking three catches behind the stumps. There were doubts over his availability for the Australia game, and captain Sikandar Raza confirmed at the toss that Taylor would be ruled out.

“With at least two more games to go in the tournament, Curran has been brought into the squad,” Raza said, highlighting the team’s swift adjustment to Taylor’s absence.

Curran Joins the Squad

Ben Curran, who has centuries in both Tests and ODIs, had not previously featured in T20 Internationals. In 40 T20 innings, Curran has scored 872 runs at a strike rate of 126.01, with a top score of 71. For the clash against Australia, Tadiwanashe Marumani will keep wickets, while allrounder Tony Munyonga joins the playing XI in place of Taylor.

There was always a concern that Taylor might struggle to be fit for the Australia game, but team management hoped he could recover for later fixtures. With Curran now in the squad, Zimbabwe ensures continuity at the top of the order.

Taylor’s Comeback

Taylor returned to international cricket in July 2025 after serving a three-and-a-half-year ban for breaching the ICC’s anti-corruption code. After his sanction ended on July 25, he was included in Zimbabwe’s squad for the second Test against New Zealand in August. 

Since his comeback, he has featured in two Tests, two ODIs, and 14 T20Is, scoring 282 runs, including a 123 against Botswana in a T20 World Cup qualifying match in September 2025.