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Robert Mukondiwa
Zimbabwe thought they had arrived when they discovered the precious mineral that is platinum, until they discovered a real national precious resource when cricketing rising sensation Blessing Muzarabani was unearthed.

An encounter with Muzarabani is an intimidating experience as he casts a towering shadow over all who meet him, until he smiles and suddenly everything becomes perfectly warm.

But this Blessing is a curse. And none know that better than those who have encountered his bowling skills. And this past week one of those was West Indies legend Chris Gayle.

Standing on the crease facing the 21-year-old Muzarabani is nothing less than unenviable. It is an encounter that is sweet, terrible and terrifying like a mad man’s lullaby. And that’s before he even starts bowling.

His right arm is a phenomenon. One that choked the Gayle force winds of the Caribbean hurricane, Chris Gayle. Although it was all in pursuit of futility when Zimbabwe crashed out a whisker away from qualifying, that scalp of Chris Gayle – which Blessing claimed in spectacular undertaker style – etched his name into cricketing history and further opened eyes across the world that Zimbabwe has indeed stumbled upon its future talisman in the country’s quest for cricketing greatness.

In a week where Zimbabwean hearts have been shattered into a million shards, perhaps one takeaway can be the existence of a being that maybe is the only shining light in Zimbabwe’s cricketing future that Blessing is.

With a humble background pushing him to pursue his intimate love in cricket, the 2-metre tall Blessing Muzarabani is not the typical newcomer. His modest background always pushes him to excel beyond the targets that other people may – others who may have been born with a silver spoon in their hands.

While some may let the early fame and attention get to their heads, an afternoon relaxing with Blessing Muzarabani reveals a man who is as modest as his background and extremely focussed; one who has not let the early attention get to him.

He is a phenomenon of science but also a living bit of proof for scientific theory. With a head perched on shoulders 1,9 metres above the ground, ‘‘the higher you go the cooler it becomes’’ theory is proven indeed. Blessing has a cool head on his shoulders.

“I know where I come from. It was a poor background where my mother worked hard to make ends meet in the ghetto. I will never want to go back to that type of life.

Physically, Blessing is a marvel of modern day human architectural art – the creator’s toast at 2 metres tall. And he uses that to his advantage.

At the corner of the room is another attestation to the miracle of Blessing – his humongous size 13 cricketing shoes alongside his “smaller” size 12 shoes which he wears when on social calls!

“I am not easy to intimidate. I have my height to thank for adding a lot of confidence to me,” he says assertively.

“The encounter with Chris Gayle, for example; yes he is a large man but standing this tall I told myself he is a mere mortal and my job was to just perform well. He is Chris Gayle. A legend. But in my world he is a cricketer. It is not about him. It is about me and how well I can and will play – so in the end I always perform well with that psyche.”

The Highfield-raised prodigy from Murewa will not tell you he is one of Zimbabwe’s best finds – he is too humble for that, but he has been tipped to be a must watch name from the rising stars in African cricket today armed with his 140-kilometre an hour bowling speed – a bowling action so fast, so furious and so vicious that the wind in its wake could put out the flames of hell!

Yet in spite of his vicious bowling action that has claimed many scalps, here, in his hotel room, he occasionally flashes a smile so heart-warming that even the gods borrow it if he is on the crease and not using it.

Because when he is unleashing demonic terrorism on his unfortunate opposition, Blessing isn’t about smiling.

He speaks of a future where he will certainly be the author of his own success.

“I have many people to make proud. My family. The selectors. Myself. I will always focus. I have my eye on the prize and I cannot tell you where I will be in five or 10 years’ time but I know with my hard work it will certainly be way up there.”

And when a man that tall says ‘‘up there’’ you know it is an altitude not to be joked about!

He isn’t the first youth of colour to be discovered, elevated and celebrated and then just wane, crash and burn. What will make him not crash and burn?

“Hard work,” is his two-word answer.

Many youth of colour could be seen in the past as token colour balancing ornaments in a sport that was and still is racially morphing. Blessing is one player who can be amongst the first few who can rest assured in their heart of hearts that they are there because of good old fashioned merit . . . and a little bit more merit!

“I want to earn my place in a squad. I want to push myself to the limit. I am not there for the money. I am that person who after a tournament can keep looking for where the game is being played so that I keep playing a sport that I have loved and always will love.”

From an uncle who played the game and sowed seeds of love for it in Blessing, great fruit has been realised in the almost palpable passion Blessing has.

When the tournament started many of the players on the team, after being mauled by Afghanistan in the United Arab Emirates, looked hopeless tokens making up the numbers. Many of them could have done better jobs as housewives, fishmongers or lily-livered candlestick makers.

By the end they had made a nation proud. Made a nation believe.

Then by some sort of remarkable cocktail of stupid pansy-style decisions they pulled the middle finger on their legion of fans and let them down.

In that fresh darkness that engulfs Zimbabwe cricket, perhaps the glimmer of light that is Blessing Muzarabani, the phenomenon of the mbizi totem, may at least keep the nation interested in the game and waiting for a new day and new dawn.

One thing is for certain. When you stand on the crease; bat in hand, waiting for a delivery from Mr Blessing Muzarabani, this blessing is certainly every batsman’s curse!