Bournemouth coach Scott Parker has confirmed that Jordan Zemura will play for the Warriors at the 2021 Afcon tournament in Cameroon next month.

The defender recently started light training after recovering from an ankle injury.

He sustained the knock in the Cherries’ Championship match against Reading at the end of October.

The setback ruled the 22-year-old out of the Warriors’ final two games in the World Cup Qualifiers and there had been fears he would miss the Afcon also.

But Parker expects Zemura to be part of the Zimbabwe squad for the continental showpiece.

The gaffer told the Bournemouth Echo newspaper: “Depending on how he (Zemura) does come out of this injury, because he has still got some bits to do, he is still not over the line here.

“But yeah, in January he will be leaving, probably to go to the African Nations.”

UK-born Zemura has played four times at senior level for Zimbabwe, having qualified to play for the Warriors through his parents.

He was one of the best players when Zimbabwe took on Ghana in a World Cup qualifiers double-header in October, and his return to fitness will be good news for Mapeza ahead of the AFCON finals, as the coach will be without key players Marvelous Nakamba, Marshall Munetsi and Brendan Galloway through injury.

Wigan Athletic right back Tendayi Darikwa has also excused himself for the continental spectacle.