“All the twelfthies were out in the field and I just suggested to the coach (Justin Sammons) that if necessary I could keep wicket and (Tadiwanashe) Marumani could take the field,” Taylor told ESPNcricinfo the morning after Zimbabwe’s win. “That’s the reason I was padded up, but fortunately Blessing came back on and Raza tried to shake off his cramp and it was enough.”
Taylor stayed in the dug out and watched as Zimbabwe defended 169 and pulled off a second T20 World Cup win over Australia, while memories of their first victory in 2007 “vividly” came back to him. Then, Taylor was batting and at the crease when the winning runs came, off his pad. Yesterday, he was unable to contribute at all but could absorb the experience fully as a spectator and no one was more pleased with the outcome. “It was a pretty amazing team performance and a great day to be a Zimbabwean. It’s very special,” Taylor said. “It’s just the power of sport and what it does to the country. It’s almost relatable to the South Africans and when the Springboks or when the Proteas win. It’s a very powerful movement.”
In the aftermath, Taylor and the rest of the team have been “overwhelmed with all the lovely messages,” from around the world but know they still have a big job to do. With two wins from two games, Zimbabwe are in a good position in Group B but are still due to play Ireland and co-hosts Sri Lanka and must win at least one of those matches to progress to the Super Eight.
They will have to do that without Taylor, who will stay on with the squad in a mentorship role and will then embark on a strict conditioning program to get to full fitness ahead. “Injuries are very foreign to me, It’s only since my return (from a three-and-a-half-year-ban). I’ve had five tears in the last five or six months in my groin and hamstrings so clearly there is an underlying issue there and I haven’t had enough time between series,” he said. “I am looking forward to a block period after the World Cup where I can put two months of prehab and hopefully set myself up for a sustainable year ahead.”
At 40, Taylor is the oldest player in the Zimbabwean squad and the only one to have played in the inaugural T20 World Cup. He has his eye on the 2027 ODI World Cup, which will be held in southern Africa, as a swansong.
Zimbabwe will also be without Ngarava for one of their two remaining matches as he battled an aggravation of a back injury. ESPNcricinfo understands the injury is not as serious as it was when Ngarava left the field during a Test against England last May but will limit Ngarava’s participation. Legspinner Graeme Cremer has a tear in the webbing between his fingers but is expected to be cleared to play, as will Muzarabani and Raza.
Zimbabwe have three days before their next game against Ireland on Tuesday and a quick turnaround to the Sri Lanka game on Thursday. Before that, Australia play Sri Lanka on Monday in what will be a crucial fixture in this group.
