Muzarabani rides off into the sunset

Deputy Sports Editor

WITH so many great cricketers and administrators retiring every other week, it is almost too easy for some of them to ride off into the sunset unnoticed.

The Indian duo of Murali Vijay and Joginder Sharma, as well as Australian great Aaron Finch, and South Africa’s Dwaine Pretorius are some of the players who recently called time on their illustrious international careers. And this is barely three months into the year.

The list gets even bigger if one includes Collin de Grandhome (New Zealand), Tim Bresnan and Eion Morgan (England), and the West Indian pair of Keiron Pollard and Lendl Simmons, who all quit in 2022.

Last week, Zimbabwe pace bowler Taurai “Zhaik” Muzarabani became the latest player to join the ever-growing list.

The 35-year-old took to social media to announce the news.

“As I retire from all forms of cricket today, I want to thank everyone for the support they showed me in the last 25 years,” he wrote on his Facebook page.

“Lots of heartbreaks and betrayals, but I never gave up. I had a dream as a kid and the dream came true through hard work and dedication,” he said.

“Thank you to Takashinga Cricket Club for bringing me into the business (legendary); Ferntree Gully Footballers Cricket Club for the love and support you showed me for the past three seasons (legendary).”

Muzarabani told The Sunday Mail Sport that he mulled over the idea to retire last year.

“It was actually easy to make.

“I started thinking about it sometime last year and have since made peace with it.

“I have nothing left to prove and no regrets.

“I have done my part for cricket; it’s now someone else’s turn to shine,” he said.

But Muzarabani only starred for the Chevrons 17 times. He also only featured in eight One-Day Internationals (ODI) and nine Twenty20s, in which he took seven and six wickets, respectively. The highlight of his international career was a famous Zimbabwe T20 win over India at Harare Sports Club in 2015.

In a historic contest best remembered for Chamu Chibhabha’s 67 runs off 51 balls and Graeme Cremer’s three for 18 runs, Muzarabani had his little moment in the sun. Coming in on the strength of his bowling, he held his nerve during the penultimate over of India’s chase of 145 and conceded only six runs, when MS Dhoni was at the crease, with the visitors needing 17 runs from 12 balls. Earlier on, he threw a blinder to run out Kedar Jadhav.

“In terms of career highlights, we beat India in a T20 match back in 2015 at Harare Sports Club.

“I had a good game, during which we defended 17 in the last two overs, bowling against MS Dhoni.

“It doesn’t really get any bigger than that.

“The word I use to describe that match is epic,” he said. Muzarabani hopes many will draw inspiration from his story. Like many of his contemporaries, he hails from Highfield and came through the Takashinga cricket project.

“I started playing cricket at the age of 11 at Chengu Primary School.

“When I saw the other kids getting free biscuits and tea, I decided to try it out.

“I had tried to join the sport the previous year but they had already reached their quota.”

He finally got his breakthrough when he joined Takashinga and quickly caught the eye of coach Steven Mangongo, who personally took it upon himself to groom the youngster.

He started off in the fourth team but quickly rose through the ranks to the first team.

He later graduated to the Zimbabwe A side.

During his 25-year career, he played for Centrals, Mashonaland Eagles, Southern Rocks (now just Eagles and Rocks), Zimbabwe A and the Chevrons. He played 60 List A games, claimed 64 wickets and scored 196 runs with an average of 13.06 while batting predominately at the tail-end. Muzarabani made his Chevrons ODI debut in 2013 during Ireland’s visit.

Ironically, his last T20 and ODIs also came when India visited in 2015.

“I managed to turn things around for my family through cricket, and I truly believe and hope that my story inspires those with a similar or worse-off background,” he said.

“I hope my story gives them courage and inspiration to go after their dreams . . . It can be football, academia or cricket, anything and everything is possible through hard work.”

Muzarabani has since settled in Australia and intends to be actively involved in the sport through coaching.

He is currently the Under-16 coach at Ferntree Gully Footballers Cricket Club.