Follow UsZimbabwe’s Dion Myers, who slammed his maiden international fifty in the third T20I against India, said taking some time off the game to pursue his university studies in the UK not only helped him grow as an individual but also as a player.
Myers led Zimbabwe in the 2020 Under-19 World Cup and went on to make his international debut in all three formats in 2021. He played an ODI against Afghanistan in June 2022 and then went to the UK to complete his studies. In his third game for Zimbabwe since returning to action, the right-hander hit 65* off 49 deliveries.
"Over the last few years, there's been a lot of self-introspection, seeing how my first stint went and things like I did well... things I can improve upon," ESPNcricinfo quoted Myers as saying.
"And watching a lot of cricket, honestly, along with my own training. It just helps sometimes when you're out of the system or set-up to be able to look from a panoramic view and see what you can achieve or what you can do better to give to the team.
“The time away from the game was a blessing in disguise and it helped me realise a few more things about myself and also I needed to grow up."
Talking about his comeback, Myers said: “It's surreal, honestly. It's something that you dream about as a young boy, and I really thank my team-mates and my family for the support and above all, I thank God. Lots of times were tough in the past few years, but [I] managed to find a way, so very proud of it.
"Being back in the team…it's such a nice vibe, wonderful coaching staff as well and they're there to support us, so I expect a lot more from this team going forward and very excited for the future."
Chasing a target of 183, Zimbabwe lost five wickets for just 39 runs in seven overs but that’s when Myers and Clive Madande (26-ball 37) put on 77 runs for the sixth wicket. Myers then added an unbeaten stand of 43 runs with Wellington Masakadza and made sure Zimbabwe didn’t go down without a fight.
"It was the sort of wicket where you couldn't really come in straightaway and start going at 150-200 strike rate. I just tried to play it my way, hitting it on the ground early on, get into the game and as the innings goes on, you pick more areas of the ground.
“But from the others, the intent was great. You can't fault that and I think if a couple of guys do well, it's crazy what this team can achieve. It's just a matter of time, I can assure you that."
Myers was superb in the third T20I but he didn’t have a great time in the second encounter. The 22-year-old scored useful 23 runs in the first T20I but got out for a duck in the next game. In the same match, he was whacked for 28 runs in an over.
"It's brilliant to learn and it's brilliant to be in the firing line, and I'm a big believer that if a situation presents a tough circumstance, you're going to stand up or just let it go," he said.
"So, it was a great experience for me, personally, I didn't take it in a confidence-down sort of a way and I thought there are some things that I need to work on much like they're trying to improve. That's how I'm taking it and the rest of the boys are taking it."
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