Tendai Chatara

Born on February 28, 1991, Tendai Chatara is a tall fast bowler, known for extracting appreciable pace and movement off the deck. Chatara has represented the Zimbabwe Under-19 team and has also featured in the intercontinental cup for the Zimbabwe XI.

Chatara has risen to prominence ever since he started representing the Mountaineers in the domestic season of 2009. He finished as the leading wicket-taker in the series against Bangladesh at the Under-19 level and represented Zimbabwe in the Under-19 World Cup in 2009-10.

Regarded as one of the most promising talents, Chatara made his debut in the second T20 match against India and scalped Yusuf Pathan. The following year in 2011, he was selected for Zimbabwe's tri-nation series against Australia and South Africa A cricket teams. Later, he was selected for the 2011-12 tour of New Zealand in place of the injured senior seamer, Chris Mpofu.

Chatara made his ODI debut against West Indies in February 2013. He showed what he is capable of as he registered bowling figures of 3/48 in a game against Pakistan in Harare in August 2013. In the same tour in which he made his ODI debut, Chatara also got his Test cap against West Indies. He seems to have a natural flair for the longer format of the game.

He played a crucial role in Zimbabwe's victory over Pakistan, for the first time in 18 years, in September 2013. He was awarded the Man of the Match for the second Test for picking up six wickets, including a match-defining five-wicket haul in the 2nd innings.

Chatara along with Tinashe Panyangara formed a disciplined new ball attack for Zimbabwe. In ICC Cricket World Cup 2015, Chatara finished as Zimbabwe’s highest wicket-taker.

He had revealed his love for Test cricket in an interview but ahead of a big 2-match Test series against New Zealand in 2016, he got ruled out from both games due to an ankle injury.

In the opening game of Zimbabwe’s tour of Netherlands in Amstelveen on June 20, 2017, Chatara roared with a 5-wicket haul against the hosts, which happened to be his third 5-fer in List A matches.

Chatara registered his best bowling figures in ODI cricket in the second match of the Tri-Nation Series against Sri Lanka in Mirpur on January 17, 2018. His 4/33 was instrumental in leading Zimbabwe to a 12-run victory over Sri Lanka, their first win against a Full Member Nation at a neutral venue in 15 years.

In the first match of UAE’s maiden ODI tour of a Full Member nation on April 10, 2019, Chatara spearheaded the bowling attack for Zimbabwe, picking up 3/25, as UAE were bundled out for just 110. Zimbabwe coasted to an easy victory and Chatara was named the Player of the Match.

Chatara is known for bowling with precision in the death overs and he played a pivotal role in helping Zimbabwe to square the T20I series 1-1 against Netherlands in Rotterdam. He bowled a brilliant Super Over that led Zimbabwe to a memorable victory.

During a match against Jersey in the 2022 T20 World Cup qualifiers, Chatara suffered a collarbone fracture and was ruled out from the rest of the tournament.

In a Group B game of ICC Men’s T20 World Cup against Scotland in Hobart on October 21, 2022, Chatara produced a telling performance with the ball taking 2/14 and also bowled a maiden over. His performance played a crucial role in Zimbabwe’s victory and they marched into Super 12s.

Chatara’s unorthodox action has played a role in him suffering a number of injuries over the years. Because of those injuries, he hasn’t been able to utilise his potential to the optimum. However, when he is fit and raring to go, he is a force to reckon with. Zimbabwe would be relying on Chatara to produce the goods in the 2023 ODI World Cup Qualifiers.

Interesting fact: Being naturally athletic, Chatara has represented his home town Manicaland in 200 and 400 m events.