Chari pledges allegiance to Zimbabwe Cricket

BRIAN Chari, the seasoned Tuskers captain, has addressed the swirling rumours about his cricketing future and potential move to Denmark.

Despite his stints playing club cricket in Denmark during the off-season, Chari has reaffirmed his dedication to Zimbabwean cricket, dispelling any notions of changing teams.

In a candid interview with Saturday Chronicle, Chari underlined his loyalty to the homeland.

“Rumours will always be there but I’m still committed to playing for my country.

“I actually spoke to the selectors at national level and assured them that I’m available for selection and I will always be available.

“The speculation gained traction due to Chari’s connection with Keith Dabengwa, the former Zimbabwe and Tuskers player now coaching the Denmark national team.

However, Chari clarified that his Danish engagements are akin to any player participating in club cricket abroad during the off-season.

“The Denmark thing is just like everyone else who goes to England, Australia, to play club cricket there during off season.

I don’t have any plans to play for Denmark and for me to play for Denmark will require me to be there full time, serve my time and me being here shows that I am committed to playing for my country,” he said.

Chari’s absence from a Zimbabwe-A series match against Durham County Cricket Club was misconstrued as a sign of his move to Denmark.

However, he clarified that personal reasons, specifically his daughter’s illness, were behind his decision.

Chari’s performance remains strong, as evidenced by his leading run-scoring in the Logan Cup, where he amassed 692 runs in 14 innings.

His aspirations to represent Zimbabwe at the Test level remain undiminished, as he continues to let his bat speak for his commitment to the sport.

“I’m still looking forward to having my comeback in the international circuit, I am patiently waiting for a call up.

“Everything has a reason and I think over the last three to four years I have had time to work on my game, I feel like I’m a lot better than I was three or four years back and I feel like I’m now ready to make a comeback to the national team,” he said.

He added that after scoring the double ton, he got the monkey off his back and it was a refreshing feeling to finally score the big one as he had pressure from his teammates and sometimes, opposition players.

Chari is confident that there is still more to come from him and consistency will be the order of the day with the bat for him from now on.–@brandon_malvin