Tendayi Darikwa has ruled himself out of Zimbabwe’s back-to-back 2021 Afcon qualifiers against Algeria in March.

The right full-back is still on rehabilitation after suffering a serious knee injury on the eve of the English Championship 2019/20 season. He returned to full training this month, but according to his latest revelations, he won’t be featuring for the Warriors next month.

The news comes at the time the Warriors have been barred from hosting the North Africans on home soil due to the poor state of local stadiums.

Darikwa, 28, told H-Metro that he won’t be fit in time for the games.

“I’m recovering well from the injury. I’m barely seven months now into my rehab and things are going good. I’m getting a little bit stronger now.

“I’ve started to go outside a little more and doing a lot more ball work, running a lot faster but the rehab process still isn’t finished and there’s still some work to do.

“I won’t be fit for the game against Algeria, those games will be too early for me. Like I said I’m still in the rehab process.

“I’m getting a lot fitter and stronger but it’s still too soon for me to play competitive games,” he said.

Darikwa has already missed the opening Afcon qualifying games – the goalless draw against Botswana and the 2-1 victory in Zambia – and the World Cup qualifiers preliminary round triumph over Somalia.