Online Reporter
Collin Matiza-Zimpapers Sports Hub
TOP Australian cricket coach Paul Wilson has expressed his delight at returning to Zimbabwe to help young players realise their dreams of playing the elite-level of the sport.
As part of the 2025 Grassroots Cricket Super Clinics to be held between August 23 and September 4, 2025, Wilson is once again lending his vast international experience and deep passion for the game to a cause close to his heart: nurturing raw sporting talent in undeserved communities.
“Besides the wonderful smiling faces and thirst for knowledge, it’s the chance to work with the ‘raw’ talent in Africa,” said Wilson.
“The talent we see in Africa is on par with what we see in Australia or elsewhere in the world. It really comes down to access to coaching.”
Wilson, who has coached and played at the highest level, believes in keeping the game simple and empowering young players to be resilient.
“Have fun. Be adaptable. Learn to cope with change and embrace any challenge thrown at you,” he advises.
Wilson will be accompanied to Zimbabwe by fellow Aussies Trevor Chappell and Peter Buchanan.
Now in its fourth year, the Grassroots Cricket Super Clinics initiative has become a beacon of opportunity and hope for young cricketers across Zimbabwe and South Africa.
Founded by Zimbabwe-born Tawanda Karasa, who is based in Australia, the programme fuses high-performance cricket coaching with mentorship, life-skills training and community engagement. This year’s edition has expanded its footprint, with clinics being held in Harare, Bindura, Marondera and Cape Town, South Africa, reaching more communities and empowering a new generation of aspiring cricketers.
This impact has been made possible through the unwavering support of Econet Wireless Zimbabwe, whose sponsorship has played a key role in bringing the clinics to life.
Econet’s support — covering funding, logistics and outreach — has ensured that talented young athletes from underprivileged backgrounds have access to top-tier coaching and structured development pathways.
Econet’s partnership with Grassroots Cricket forms part of its broader commitment to youth empowerment and community upliftment.
The company previously supported the Cricket for Hope initiative, which invested thousands of dollars into expanding cricket and life-skills training for youth across Zimbabwe.
Thanks to this collaboration, hundreds of young Zimbabweans are not only developing their cricketing abilities, but also growing into confident, adaptable leaders of the future.
As Wilson and his fellow coaches return to Zimbabwe’s cricketing fields, they are doing more than teaching a sport — they are inspiring dreams and unlocking potential, one young player at a time.
