Pace sensation Richard Ngarava feels series is a boost for Zimbabwean cricket

Deepankar Sharda

Chandigarh, July 6

Zimbabwean left-arm pacer Richard Ngarava was confident of his team notching a couple of wins against the new-look version T20 world champions — which, according to him, would mean the world to them and provide a boost to their long-term plans for the 2026 T20 World Cup and 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.

It (finding win) was never going to be easy against these guys (Indian team), but we were ready for the challenge. They have brought in a young side, but it is going to be a tough test. Richard Ngarava, Zimbabwe pacer

But, who would have thought the first game of the five-match T20I series against India would get them off the mark.

“It (finding win) was never going to be easy against these guys (Indian team), but we were ready for the challenge. They have brought in a young side, but still it is going to be tough test,” he said.

The odds of winning the series are heavily stacked against Zimbabwe, but the underdogs have already shown bite, winning the first match by 13 runs.

Ngarava, who became the first player to take a five-wicket haul for Zimbabwe against Sri Lanka in an ODI series earlier this year, claimed the current series is a learning curve for them.

“To be frank, it’s going to be really tough. However, a couple of wins will be like a learning lesson for us. We are having an entirely new coaching staff and a young side. We are aiming to prepare for the next T20 World Cup and the 2027 ICC World Cup, which we are co-hosting. So, we are not nervous at all…but we also don’t want any loose ends against them (India),” said Ngarava in a phonetic interview with The Tribune from Harare.

Zimbabwe has caused a few upsets in international cricket in the past – their one-run win in a thriller against Pakistan in the 2022 T20 World Cup being one of it.

However, the team has struggled to find feet in international cricket. They were knocked out of reckoning for the recently-concluded T20 World Cup by Uganda. And with the emergence of teams like Afghanistan, Netherlands and Nepal things have become more complicated.

“Expectations are going to get high every time. However, handling the difficulties and challenges is the most important part. It takes lots of effort and time to have the revival. It’s disheartening sometimes when results get adverse and it becomes very difficult to move forward,” Ngarava said.

Bumrah, Arshdeep and IPL

As every other ardent cricket fan, Ngarava was keenly following the T20 World Cup. It turns out he’s a big fan of Indian pace masters Jasprit Bumrah and Arshdeep Singh.

He considers them as his role models. “The Indian team played well in the World Cup. The bowlers displayed a great class. I am following Bumrah and Arshdeep…they are fantastic. I am looking to replicate their exploits in this series. I hope for better results like them,” he shared.

Not only the world, but the Zimbabwean players are also passionate about the BCCI’s annual showpiece event — the IPL. Ngarava believes that inclusion of the Zimbabwean players in the cash-rich league can be a game changer for the country.

“The IPL is a nice set-up for world players. If we could fit in the set-up, it will surely lift our game. The BCCI usually helps Zimbabwean cricket, but it will be really nice if some of our youngsters get a chance to play in the event. It will also help us to find a right path for the betterment of Zimbabwean cricket,” he added