HARARE – Banned Zimbabwe cricketer Brendan Taylor is set to play the Test series against New Zealand next month.
Taylor wasn’t included in the Zimbabwe Test squad named on Tuesday for the two-match series in Bulawayo, however reports suggest he will be added.
Taylor was given a three-and-a-half year ban for breaching the ICC anti-corruption code.
In 2022 Taylor was banned after admitting he received a $15,000 “deposit” for spot-fixing.
At the time Taylor said he was blackmailed and never went through with the arrangement and that he was coerced into accepting the money from an Indian businessman in October 2019.
Spot-fixing refers to manipulation of part of a game to deliver a given outcome for betting purposes.
In addition to four breaches of the ICC anti-corruption code, Taylor was also charged with breaching the anti-doping code after testing positive for the stimulant benzoylecognine, a cocaine metabolite, in an in-competition test conducted on 8 September 2021.
Taylor, who played for Zimbabwe in 34 tests, 205 one-dayers and 45 T20s, retired from international cricket soon afterwards.
He considered going into coaching but recently revealed he felt he still had something to offer as a player with the hope of playing in the 2027 World Cup.
With his ban expiring on Saturday, Cricinfo is reporting that the 39 year old will then be added to the Zimbabwe squad.
The first Test against New Zealand starts on July 30.
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