Zimbabwean cricketer in focus: Brendan Taylor - The special talent from Harare

September 12, 2007 is a day that particularly stands out in Zimbabwean memory. On a chilly evening at Newlands, Taylor anchored a magnificent run-chase against the mighty Australians, belting an unbeaten 60 from just 45 balls in the first ICC World Twenty20.

Defying rain and the famed Duckworth-Lewis calculations, the 21-year-old smashed two sixes off Brad Hodge in the 15th over – one of which was 77 metres long. He also held his nerve to ensure that his side managed to score the required 12 runs off the final over, thus causing one of the biggest upsets in the tournament.

Brendan Taylor

Prior to his batting heroics, Taylor displayed his wicket-keeping prowess; he caught Matthew Hayden off Elton Chigumbura, stumped Andrew Symonds with a quicksilver move, and ran out Mitchell Johnson with a direct hit, having only one stump to aim at.

And all this barely a month after yet another one of his run-ins with the Zimbabwe board over their refusal to allow him to play club cricket overseas.

Another of his more notable ODI innings was a superb, unbeaten 145 against South Africa at Bloemfontein in October 2010. He scored about half of his side’s final total of 287/6, chasing 352 for a win. Next, during NZ’s tour of Zimbabwe in 2011, Brendan hammered back-to-back ODI tons, despite which his side ended up second-best.

However, in the third game of the series, his knock of 75 runs in 65 balls enabled teammates Malcolm Waller and Elton Chigumbura to chase down 329, securing a famous win. That’s the kind of impact Taylor has had on a young Zimbabwe side.

At the Test level, Taylor’s performances have been somewhat below par, owing to his relatively younger age and premature elevation into the Test team before he was 20. However, after Zimbabwe was reinstated into the fold of five-day cricket, the young wicket-keeper batsman has shown remarkable maturity.

With the added responsibility of captaincy, Taylor has also improved his batting – scoring 117 against New Zealand on a fifth day pitch, a knock that featured five huge sixes. Zimbabwe eventually lost the game, but their skipper has maintained that his side will play aggressive cricket in Test matches.

The current ODI series with India offers yet another opportunity for the Zimbabwe captain to make more runs. Primarily a top-order batsman, he has also found some success as a part-time off-break bowler. Both these skills, coupled with his wicket-keeping abilities, make Brendan Taylor a central figure in Zimbabwe’s journey to cricketing excellence.

Zimbabwe has unearthed a special talent, and the Harare lad has repaid their faith in full.