adminNeeshil Dullabh, an eight-year-old all-rounder of Indian origin, was out of breath when he got his turn for a picture with one of the Indian players.
Although Virat Kohli is his favourite player in the touring team, the Sharon School captain was delighted to get a picture with Chennai Super Kings’ all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja.
“One day I want to play like Virat and I am very happy that I saw them today,” said young Dullabh.
Sean Manyurwa was star-struck and delighted to meet his star player foreign role model, star batsman Shikha Dhawan, and was happy to find a way past the massive security red tape surrounding the tourists.
Young Manyumwa, who is just 15 and is in Form Three, rushed straight after school from Glen View 2 High to meet his favourite player Dhawan, who was the man-of-the-series after scoring more than 300 runs at the ICC Champions Trophy.
“I first saw him batting in the Champions Trophy in England and I liked how he is not afraid of anyone and watched him play very good pull shots. “He is also a left-hander like me who opens the batting just like me at school and I will watch him closely and copy things from him,” he said.
The young opener comes from a cricketing background with his father Nicholas Munyurwa a former developmental coach for Zimbabwe Cricket.
Sean plays for Glenshire Cricket in the Harare Metropolitan Cricket league.
A hectic pre-schedule, including a pre-match press conference, did not allow for the Indian team to come and coach the high school first team players in Harare.
However, the visitors made amends by warming up to some of the young spectators, which still has the same inspirational effect.
The first ball of the much-awaited series will be bowled at 9am this morning and — because it’s India the world champions in town — there will be a huge crowd at Harare Sports Club.
Online Reporter