Paul Nyathi|The Warriors have received what could be a boost ahead of the 2021 Africa Cup of Nations qualifiers, following assurances from authorities that players who have been struggling to obtain passports will be issued with the documents which will enable them to play for the Warriors.

Headlining the players who were battling to secure Zimbabwean passports due to the country’s complicated dual citizenship laws is in-form Charlton Athletic forward Macauley Bonne.

The Ipswich-born striker has scored five goals in eight Championship games for Charlton so far this season.

He has featured three times for Zimbabwe in international friendly matches since 2014, but is yet to make a competitive debut for the Warriors due to difficulties in obtaining a Zimbabwean passport.

Also likely to be issued with Zimbabwean citizenship are Bolton Wanderers defender Adam Chicksen, Bournemouth youth player Jordan Zemura and Swansea City defender Tivonge Rushesha, who have all been included in the Warriors provisional squad for the matches against Zambia and Botswana.

The head of the Zimbabwe registrar office Clemence Masango gave assurances that the players will have their passports before the Afcon qualifiers commence.

“Players who applied for passports will get their passports in time for them to be eligible to represent the nation in matches against Botswana on 15 November (Home) & Zambia (Away) on 19 November,” the Zimbabwe Football Association announced on social media quoting Masango as saying.

Zimbabwe will kick off their Afcon qualifiers at home against Botswana on November 15, before facing Zambia away four days later.

The Botswana match would be the Warriors’ first game since being eliminated from Afcon finals in June, having been inactive during the September and October Fifa international periods.