ZIMBABWE’S 53-run defeat by Afghanistan in Wednesday’s opening T20 International was a setback, but the spirited performance of young pace bowler Tinotenda Maposa provided a significant silver lining and strengthened his ambition to become a frontline all-rounder for the national side.
The 22-year-old, playing in his 14th T20I, played a spectacular lower-order innings, smashing 32 runs from just 15 balls.
Arriving at the crease with the team in dire straits at 68 for 7 in the 11th over, Maposa’s explosive knock, which included five boundaries, reignited Zimbabwe’s chase.
His crucial 50-run partnership with Brad Evans, which took the score to 121, restored a sense of hope and respectability to the innings before the hosts were eventually bowled out for 127, chasing Afghanistan’s competitive 180 for 6.
This career-best T20I score has clearly bolstered the confidence of the squad’s second-youngest player, behind 21-year-old opener Brian Bennett.
Maposa, who already has 12 T20I wickets and one ODI cap to his name, spoke to journalists about his determination to contribute more substantially with the bat.
“People usually doubt my batting abilities, but I think I also doubt myself sometimes,” Maposa admitted candidly.
“But I feel like I still have something in me to lift the team up and score some runs and win matches for the team. I’ve done it again and I feel like I can still do it for the team in the future.”
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The young quick is not shy about his lofty ambitions.
He views his recent performance as a stepping stone to a more prominent role, one that could significantly bolster the Chevrons’ middle and lower order.
“I feel happy with the way things are going, I think. As time goes, I think the team can actually look to me to actually finish the innings. Get an all-rounder position in the team to actually finish the innings,” he stated.
This aspiration is being actively nurtured within the national setup.
“Definitely. The coach has been working with me, being hard on me a lot.
“So I’ve been trying to actually play that role,” Maposa revealed, underscoring his commitment to the required hard work.
“And I’m hoping in the next coming years I’ll actually be one of the best all-rounders in the country.”
His potential was further highlighted earlier in the month when he scored 74 runs and took a five-wicket haul against the visiting Marylebone Cricket Club.
Zimbabwean cricket has a rich tradition of brothers representing the nation, from the iconic Flower brothers, Andy and Grant, to the Rennie, Whittall, and more recently, the Masakadza brothers.
The national team appears to have uncovered another promising pair in the Maposa siblings: Tinotenda and his older brother, Tawanda (24).
Both brothers play for the Tuskers franchise in Bulawayo and are primarily bowlers, with Tawanda also known to be a competent batsman.
Tawanda has been involved in the national team setup, though he is yet to earn his debut cap.
Together, they represent a dynamic new wave of talent that Zimbabwe can develop into genuine bowling all-rounders, a valuable asset in modern cricket.
Maposa’s stunning cameo, which provided the hosts’ staunchest resistance after the top order crumbled to 30 for 5, demonstrates he possesses the temperament and power to match his ambition.
If he continues to hone his batting alongside his primary skill as a pace bowler, he may well follow in the footsteps of his cricketing heroes and secure a permanent place as a genuine all-rounder for Zimbabwe.
