Zimbabwe ban Wesley Madhevere and Brandon Mavuta for drug use

Zimbabwe have banned Wesley Madhevere and Brandon Mavuta from cricket for four months after they were found guilty of recreational drug use.

The pair will not miss any internationals as Zimbabwe do not have a match scheduled in that time.

A third player, batter 30-year-old Kevin Kasuza, has also been suspended pending a hearing, having also tested positive for a recreational drug.

Kasuza last played for Zimbabwe in 2021 and will face a hearing.

Madhevere and Mavuta, both all-rounders aged 23 and 26 respectively, were originally suspended pending a hearing in December after their failed tests.

Madhevere has played two Tests, 36 one-day internationals and 60 T20s; Mavuta four Tests, 12 ODIs and 10 T20 internationals.

Both were in the squad for the one-day series against Ireland in December, which Zimbabwe lost 2-0.

As well as their bans, they have also been fined half of their salaries for the next three months.

Zimbabwe Cricket [ZC] said that it "considered some mitigating factors, with both players showing remorse and having already started working on withdrawing from the habit and getting their systems clean".

It added: "ZC has a zero tolerance towards drugs and drug taking and, in imposing the sanctions, the disciplinary committee considered that drug taking was a serious offence and that the breach by the two players had brought the organisation and the game of cricket into disrepute."