Vincent Masekesa made an immediate impression on debut in the Chattogram Test, picking up three wickets to spark Zimbabwe’s late fightback on Day Two. But what stood out even more than his figures was the humility and perspective he carried — especially when he spoke of his inspirations.
A self-proclaimed leg-spin enthusiast, credited some of the game’s finest wrist spinners for shaping his journey. And among the legends he named — Shane Warne, Adil Rashid, Yuzvendra Chahal, Adam Zampa — was a nod to a local name that stood out: Bangladesh’s very own Rishad Hossain.
“I am always a big fan of leg-spinners,” Masekesa said after stumps on Tuesday. “Shane Warne obviously. Most of the Zimbabwe leg-spinners. Growing up, Graeme Cremer was there. I also look up to Adil Rashid from England, Chahal from India... Zampa from Australia. Even Rishad from Bangladesh.”
On the field, Masekesa showed the kind of discipline and guile that echoed the bowlers he admires — consistently landing the ball in testing areas and letting the pitch do the talking. “Later in the day, the wicket tends to offer more help for spinners,” he explained. “But it’s also about putting the ball in the right areas and letting the pitch do the work.”
Despite being new to the Test arena, Masekesa is already showing he belongs — not just in terms of skills, but in cricketing intellect. “Honestly, I wasn’t expecting that [first wicket] at that exact moment,” he said with a smile. “But it meant a lot. Representing Zimbabwe in Test cricket is a big opportunity, and I was really happy.”
Bangladesh still hold a 64-run lead going into Day Three, but Masekesa is not giving in. “They’re playing well, no doubt. But we’re still very much in this game. We’ll fight hard to keep things under control tomorrow,” he said.
Source: Daily Sun
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