Tatenda Taibu

Tatenda Taibu

Personal information
Full name	Tatenda Taibu
Born	(1983-05-14) 14 May 1983 Harare, Zimbabwe
Nickname	Tibbly
Batting	Right-handed
Bowling	Right-arm medium
Role	Wicket-keeper
Relations	Kudzai Taibu (brother)
International information
National side	Zimbabwe (2001–2012)
Test debut (cap 52)	19 July 2001 v West Indies
Last Test	26 January 2012 v New Zealand
ODI debut (cap 64)	23 June 2001 v West Indies
Last ODI	9 February 2012 v New Zealand
ODI shirt no.	44
T20I debut (cap 14)	12 September 2007 v Australia
Last T20I	14 February 2012 v New Zealand
Domestic team information
Years	Team
2000/01–2004/05	Mashonaland
2006/07	Namibia
2007/08–2008/09	Northerns
2008	Kolkata Knight Riders
2009/10	Mountaineers
2010/11–2011/12	Southern Rocks
2018/19	Badureliya Sports Club
Career statistics
Competition Test ODI FC LA Matches 28 150 119 231 Runs scored 1,546 3,393 7,015 5,426 Batting average 30.31 29.25 37.71 30.82 100s/50s 1/12 2/22 12/50 5/35 Top score 153 107* 175* 121* Balls bowled 48 84 972 569 Wickets 1 2 25 14 Bowling average 27.00 30.50 18.20 30.71 5 wickets in innings 0 0 1 0 10 wickets in match 0 0 0 0 Best bowling 1/27 2/42 8/43 4/25 Catches/stumpings 57/5 114/33 311/31 196/55
Source: ESPNcricinfo, 14 September 2017

Tatenda Taibu (born 14 May 1983) is a former Zimbabwean cricketer who captained the Zimbabwe national cricket team. He is a wicket-keeper-batsman. From 6 May 2004 to 5 September 2019, he held the record for being the youngest test captain in history when he captained his team against Sri Lanka until Rashid Khan of Afghanistan claimed the record. Taibu is currently serving as Head Coach for Cricket PNG and its national Men’s team, known as the PNG Barramundis.

In July 2012 Taibu, aged only 29, decided to retire from cricket to focus on his work in church. In December 2018, it was reported that he was making a return to cricket. Later the same month, he played first-class cricket for Badureliya Sports Club in the 2018–19 Premier League Tournament in Sri Lanka.

International career

Taibu made his first-class debut at the age of 16, and his debut for Zimbabwe national team in 2001, aged 18. In 2003, he was appointed vice-captain to Heath Streak on the team's tour of England, and was made national captain in April 2004, making him the youngest Test captain in history then, until Rashid Khan of Afghanistan claimed the record in 2019. Rashid Khan was 8 days younger than Taibu when he captained Afghanistan against Bangladesh.

He took a two-year break for Zimbabwe in from 2005 to 2007 when he played a season as the captain of Namibia and another season for the Cape Cobras in South Africa.

He made his return to the Zimbabwean side in a series against India A in July 2007, registering a century. The following month Zimbabwe hosted South Africa for a three-game ODI series and in the final game Taibu scored a career best 107 not out. It was the first ODI century by a Zimbabwean against South Africa.

During 2010 Taibu's form continued and he scored 73 against South Africa as Zimbabwe were all out for 268. The South Africans chased down the total comfortably with Hashim Amla and AB de Villiers scoring centuries.

He scored 98 for his side in 2011 World Cup as their team won by 175 runs against Canada in Nagpur. Taibu played a splendid innings in must-win situation of World Cup.

When Zimbabwe returned to Test cricket in 2011, Taibu was selected to play in their one-off Tests against Bangladesh, Pakistan and New Zealand despite making critical remarks of the country's cricket administration. He scored half-centuries in each of the three Tests.

Taibu became the 5th Zimbabwean to score 3,000 runs during his innings of 53 (74) against Kenya at Eden Gardens, Kolkata during the 2011 World Cup on 20 March 2011. He along with Stuart Matsikenyeri set the record partnership in ODIs for the sixth wicket for Zimbabwe(188)

Retirement

On 10 July 2012, Taibu called time on his career aged 29. He said he would only do work for the church. Taibu told Zimeye: “I just feel that my true calling now lies in doing the Lord’s work, and although I am fortunate and proud to have played for my country, the time has come for me to put my entire focus on that part of my life.”

He scored 1,546 runs in Tests with 57 catches and five stumpings, while making 3,393 runs in ODIs with 114 catches and 33 stumpings. He finishes as Zimbabwe's fourth highest run-scorer in ODIs with the second most dismissals as a wicketkeeper, behind Andy Flower.

Beyond cricket

After his retirement Taibu moved to Liverpool, England. He joined Hightown St. Mary's Cricket Club in 2016 as a player-coach-development-officer in the second-division of the Liverpool & District Cricket Competition. While writing his autobiography he realised that he would have to return to Zimbabwe. In June 2016 he accepted a role as Zimbabwe Cricket's convener of selectors and development officer, with the encouragement of Peter Chingoka. Brendan Taylor and Kyle Jarvis left county deals in September 2017 to play again for Zimbabwe, fruit of Taibu's efforts to entice them back.

In 2019, Taibu wrote a book titled 'Keeper of Faith', in which he discusses socio-political situation in Zimbabwe, his childhood beatings, perception after witnessing privileged white cricketers and threats by receiving photos of dead bodies.

External links

• Tatenda Taibu at ESPNcricinfo