Cricketer used to practice catching and throwing with lemon in the absence of ball, now made her team champion

Anesu Mushangwe is a 27-year-old spin bowler of Zimbabwe origin, who recently played a key role in the victory of the champions Adelaide Strikers in the Women's Big Bash League 2023 season. But, Mushangwe's journey from Zimbabwe to Australia was not easy. There was a time when Mushangwe's passport could not be made due to lack of paperwork and she was deprived of going on a foreign tour with the Zimbabwe Under-19 team. In the absence of a ball, Mushangwe used to practice catching and throwing with a lemon.

Mushangwe told in an interview that I started my career as a medium pacer, but was not able to make a place in the team. Then I took a big decision and started bowling spin. As a leg spinner, she was successful in making a place in the Zimbabwe team and made her international debut against Namibia in 2019. After this, he turned to Australia. After becoming the captain of the T-20 team of Adelaide's Glenelg Cricket Club, she did not look back.

Mushangwe's family did not know much about cricket, so he was put into athletics, but this young player left athletics and took up cricket. He has taken 33 wickets in the total 21 T20 matches played so far. At the same time, in this Big Bash League season, he has taken 16 wickets.

Mushangwe stayed away from international cricket for almost three years due to visa issues. He returned in April 2022. In the same year, he played an important role in Zimbabwe winning the triangular series against Namibia and Uganda. Mushangwe, who signed for Adelaide Strikers, became the first Zimbabwean female cricketer to play in the Big Bash. She may have had a chance in one match in 2022, but she was successful in registering her explosive presence in the 2023 season.

Mushangwe considers Glenelg club head coach Graham Seduneri as her godfather. She said, I was not able to give my 100 per cent in batting and bowling, I told Coach Graham that I would not be able to. But he boosted my confidence and kept encouraging me to make a place in the team. This would not have been possible without them. It was because of him that I got a chance to live in Australia and play cricket. He played the role of a father to me in this foreign country.