‘It’s a dark place’: On-the-mend Musakanda reflects on troubled past after re-call

BY ENOCK MUCHINJO

HARARE – Like Brendan Taylor, Tarisai Musakanda has been honest enough about the personal turbulence that threatened to tear apart not only his cricket career, but also himself.

Musakanda was last week named in the two squads for the Zimbabwe ‘A’ tour of Bangladesh this June, returning to the reckoning for the first time since he last featured at any level of international cricket nearly four years ago.

Tarisai Musakanda enjoyed a fruitful season with Midwest Rhinos in Zimbabwe's domestic competitions.

31-year-old Musakanda will now try to use the Bangladesh trip to force his way back into the full Zimbabwe team, which will mark quite a turnaround for the batsman following a series of serious brushes with the law.

In the last of three nightmarish chapters of his life in September 2024, Musakanda escaped jail and received a community service sentence on attempted murder charges after a domestic dispute with his wife. No sooner had he got away with a lighter sentence than his two-year-old son suddenly died a day after the ruling, as devastating blow after another continued to stalk him.

“It’s a dark place,” Musakanda tells SportsCast this week of his ordeal.

“There were nights where I thought that was it. When you lose the game that’s been your whole life, it’s really a dark place. My family, close friends, and a few teammates kept reminding me who I was beyond that mistake. Cricket is what I do, not who I am. But I knew I still had unfinished business with it and that's one reason I was so frustrated during that phase.”

Musakanda’s selection into Zimbabwe’s second-string side for the Bangladesh tour comes after an outstanding domestic season with the Midwest Rhinos, the Kwekwe-based first-class side.

“It came down to accountability and routine,” Musakanda says of his call-up.

“I couldn’t change the past, so I focused on what I could control. My training, my discipline, and rebuilding trust. I went back to club cricket, and pressed that reset button, and slowly everything started coming back together.”

Musakanda last played for Zimbabwe in an ODI against Bangladesh in Harare in August 2022.

Since his younger days, Musakanda has always been viewed as some sort of enigma in Zimbabwean cricket, a mystery of a player who’s just a game or series away from having the world at his feet.

That is why, after his first two misfortunes, each time he managed to bounce back into Zimbabwe’s national team.

The first mishap was back in 2020 when Musakanda was fired by his Australian club, New City Cricket Club in Victoria, following a drunk-drive conviction.

At that time, he hadn’t featured for Zimbabwe since 2018.

Returning home to Zimbabwe with a huge stain on his CV, Musakanda was however able to shake off his troubles, going on to play for the national side again in 2021 after earning a recall.

Then in January 2022, former Zimbabwean tennis player Gwinyai Chingoka died after he was hit by Musakanda’s car in a tragic accident in Harare on a dark and stormy night.

Eight months later, a court found Musakanda guilty of culpable homicide, and fined him ZW$30 000.

But even as trial was underway, Musakanda’s domestic form proved irresistible for the selectors and he was given another chance in the national team despite his off-field woes.

The verdict by Harare magistrate Evelyn Mushavakure came 10 days after Musakanda had played his last game for Zimbabwe in an ODI against Bangladesh on 5 August 2022.

Again, another return to international cricket, following a two-year absence, seemed like real possibility for Musakanda in September 2024.

Musakanda was packing his bags to fly back home to Zimbabwe, to play in the new domestic season there, after he had become the first player in 40 years to score more than 1 000 runs in a season for English club Barton CC, who he helped gain promotion to the Devon ‘A’ Division.

Barely two weeks after arriving in his hometown Kadoma that same month, Musakanda’s chequered past caught up with him again.

He was arrested by police in Kadoma after he was accused of stabbing his wife following a quarrel.

Just when it looked like he had managed to ride out the storm, Musakanda was back in the headlines again, for all the wrong reasons.

“It was really tough,” remarks Musakanda.

“I thought everything was over, and I’m having to start my life again. I had started building again and when my last incident happened, everything fell apart again. I was mentally drained, and I didn't know what else to do. I’m not proud of those moments, but I’ve taken responsibility and used them to grow.”

Zimbabwe ‘A’s Bangladesh tour – which consists of three one-day and two four-day matches – is probably Musakanda’s last chance to transform his said potential into something meaningful.

“This tour is everything for me right now,” he says.

“Bangladesh conditions are challenging, but I have been working on my game to suit their conditions. It’s going to be tough, but I have prepared well and I’m looking forward to it.”

Musakanda is 31.

Former Zimbabwe captain Taylor was last year, at the age of 39, recalled to the national side after completing a three-and-half-year suspension by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for breaching the ICC’s Anti-Corruption and Anti-Doping codes.

But while Taylor has been totally committed to every demand on his road to recovery, beyond merely speaking openly about his past, Musakanda too will have to go down the same route. 

Will it be third time luck for him?

“I believe so,” replies Musakanda.

“I’m fit, mature about how I approach my game and I am mentally prepared for tough challenges. I’d like to think the door isn’t closed. I still have a lot to offer Zimbabwe cricket. However, the main focus is the ‘A’ side tour and I’ll take it step by step.”

                                 ZIMBABWE ‘A’ SQUADS

One-Day: Faraz Akram, Ryan Burl, Matthew Campbell, Michael Frost, Trevor Gwandu, Innocent Kaia, Roy Kaia, Clive Madande, Wessly Madhevere, Tinotenda Maposa, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Vincent Masekesa, Ernest Masuku, Tarisai Musakanda, Antum Naqvi.

Four-Day: Faraz Akram, Ryan Burl, Johnathan Campbell, Matthew Campbell, Munashe Chimusoro, Michael Frost, Trevor Gwandu, Clive Madande, Tanunurwa Makoni, Tinotenda Maposa, Vincent Masekesa, Ernest Masuku, Tarisai Musakanda, Dion Myers, Antum Naqvi.