In Harare, Dion Myers announced his return to cricket after a three-year hiatus with a spirited fifty against India in the third T20I and the Zimbabwe middle-order batsman called the innings “surreal”.
Myers, who took a break from the game in 2021 to pursue a university degree in England, battled his way to a 49-ball 66, albeit in a losing cause. India leads the five-match T20I series 2-1.
Prior to the ongoing series against India, Myers' previous appearance for Zimbabwe was against Ireland in September 2021.
“It's surreal (to return to the team). It's something you dream about when you were a child. I really thank my colleagues and my family for the support. Times were tough the last few years, but I managed to find a way, I'm very proud of it,” Myers said at a news conference.
“Being back on the team… it's a very nice vibe. So I expect a lot more from this team in the future and I am very excited for the future,” he added.
The time away from cricket, Myers said, was a “blessing in disguise for him”.
“Sometimes when you're outside the system or the setup, it helps to be able to take a bird's-eye view and see what you can accomplish or what you can do better to contribute to the team.
"The time away from the game was a blessing in disguise and helped me realize a few more things about myself and also that I needed to grow," he said.
However, returning to cricket was not an easy process for the 21-year-old.
He came out to duck in the second T20I before Indian opener Abhishek Sharma hit him for 28 runs in an over.
Myers said he managed to maintain his confidence despite that below-average outing.
“It's great to learn and be in the line of fire. I firmly believe that if a situation presents difficult circumstances, you will either stand up or just let it go,” he said.
“So it was a great experience for me personally, I didn't take it as being confident and thinking there are some things I need to work on. “That’s how I take these things,” he added.
Myers, who took a break from the game in 2021 to pursue a university degree in England, battled his way to a 49-ball 66, albeit in a losing cause. India leads the five-match T20I series 2-1.
Prior to the ongoing series against India, Myers' previous appearance for Zimbabwe was against Ireland in September 2021.
“It's surreal (to return to the team). It's something you dream about when you were a child. I really thank my colleagues and my family for the support. Times were tough the last few years, but I managed to find a way, I'm very proud of it,” Myers said at a news conference.
“Being back on the team… it's a very nice vibe. So I expect a lot more from this team in the future and I am very excited for the future,” he added.
The time away from cricket, Myers said, was a “blessing in disguise for him”.
“Sometimes when you're outside the system or the setup, it helps to be able to take a bird's-eye view and see what you can accomplish or what you can do better to contribute to the team.
"The time away from the game was a blessing in disguise and helped me realize a few more things about myself and also that I needed to grow," he said.
However, returning to cricket was not an easy process for the 21-year-old.
He came out to duck in the second T20I before Indian opener Abhishek Sharma hit him for 28 runs in an over.
Myers said he managed to maintain his confidence despite that below-average outing.
“It's great to learn and be in the line of fire. I firmly believe that if a situation presents difficult circumstances, you will either stand up or just let it go,” he said.
“So it was a great experience for me personally, I didn't take it as being confident and thinking there are some things I need to work on. “That’s how I take these things,” he added.
