Who is Antum Naqvi? Everything you need to know about Zimbabwe's new addition for T20Is against India

Fresh off the T20 World Cup win, India is all set to take on Zimbabwe in a five-game T20I series. Both sides will take on each other in the first T20I at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday, July 6. With the series approaching, both sides have announced their squads for the five-game affair. 

Zimbabwe have announced their 17-member squad for the five-game T20I series. The Board also mentioned the constitution of a young side after they failed to qualify for the World Cup and are looking for a rebuild under new coach Justin Simmons. 

The side also added 25-year-old Antum Naqvi to their 17-man squad. The batter has been showcasing his potential, and Zimbabwe is looking to gamble on him. It is worth noting that Antum Naqvi will only compete for Zimbabwe once his citizenship is accepted.

Also Read: Sikandar Raza to captain Zimbabwe's youthful squad against India in T20I series

The 25-year-old was born in Belgium, in the city of Brussels, to Pakistani parents. He later moved to Australia when he was four years old and studied there as well. Furthermore, he moved to Zimbabwe in 2023 on the advice of former Zimbabwe cricketer Solomon Mire.

The young batter has come a long way and is all set to kick off his international career after his exceptional performances in first-class cricket. Recently, Naqvi put forth a brilliant showing in the 10th game of the Logan Cup between the Mid West Rhinos and Matabeleland Tuskers. The 25-year-old became the first player to score a triple century in representative cricket in Zimbabwe.

Also Read: Who is South African pacer Ottneil Baartman?

Interestingly, Naqvi has also graduated from Sydney’s The Hills High School and even attended the Hartwig Flight School to obtain his pilot’s license. Recently, in a chat with the BBC, Antum revealed that he loved planes growing up and how he now balances cricket with planes.

"After finishing school, I went to flying school and decided that I would have to handle my time perfectly if I wanted to execute my plans for both flying and cricket. It worked out perfectly. It took me about two and a half to three years to get my commercial airline license. I would fly in the mornings and do cricket training in the afternoons," Naqvi said.