BY DANIEL NHAKANISO
ENCOURAGED by his performances during the national team’s recent tours of Bangladesh and Singapore, all-rounder Ryan Burl is relishing the opportunity to play a more influential role in the Zimbabwe cricket team on a consistent basis.
Burl — an aggressive left handed middle order batsman and a part time leg-spinner — was one of the few bright sparks in the Chevrons’ recent tour of Asia, producing some notable performances with both bat and ball.
The main highlight came when he smashed an unbeaten 57 off 32 balls albeit for a losing cause in a T20I encounter against Bangladesh which earned him praises from the Bangladesh superstar Shakib al Hasan.
During the match, Burl scored 30 runs in one of Hasan’s overs, which included three sixes and as many fours — the second highest runs conceded in an over by a Bangladeshi in T20Is.
The 25-year-old left-hander said he had a chat with Shakib after the match and expressed delight to get appreciated by the Bangladesh captain.
“Shakib has been ranked in the top three all-rounders in the world for the last 10 years, so to have some praise from him is obviously really special,” Burl told The Sports Hub in an exclusive interview last week.
“I think as an inspired all-rounder myself; I will always look up to players like Shakib and (Jacques) Kallis who have been great all-rounders for so long,” he said.
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After his exploits in Bangladesh and Singapore, where he also contributed to the team’s tri-series triumph, Burl, appears to finally be starting to show his full potential for the Chevrons.
The Marondera-born rising star says he has always aspired to play an important role in the team by influencing games with bat, ball and in the field and will continue working hard to achieve that.
“It’s a role I’ve always wanted to play, I certainly won’t relax. I constantly want to improve my game and see what levels I can take it to.
Responsibility and pressure is something that I thrive on — so any given opportunity I would like to put my hand up,” Burl said.
Although he had been touted as an international star-in-waiting since he broke through the ranks at Under-19 level he has endured a roller-coaster international career thus far.
In addition to a luckless run with injuries at crucial periods in his career, Burl, who batted higher up the order in youth cricket, had to be content with batting lower down the order at senior level, a role which he was initially reluctant to accept.
“Initially I wasn’t happy batting so low down, but over the last six months I have just accepted the fact that it’s the role the coach (es) want me to play. So I think more so I’ve been mentally prepared and comfortable than before, as well as working tirelessly on my bowling to ensure I bring an extra element to my game, to make myself more valuable as a player. My targets going forward will forever be to improve. But hopefully to attract interest from T20 Leagues around the world, and potentially showcase my abilities,” he said.
Educated at the famous Peterhouse School, the prodigious Burl, who represented Zimbabwe junior sides in hockey, squash and athletics featured for Zimbabwe in two Under-19 Cricket World Cups in 2013 and 2014.
A hard-hitting left handed batsman and genuine leg spin bowler, Burl had long been considered the next big thing for Zimbabwean cricket. Injuries however hampered his early progress. He had to undergo reconstructive surgery on his knee and shoulder before making his international against Afghanistan in February 2017.
A serious knee injury less than a week before Zimbabwe’s home series against India in June 2016, Burl delayed Burl’s international debut before he also dislocated his shoulder playing in a league match in England which ruled him out of cricket for a long time.
Two years ago, during Zimbabwe’s tour of Sri Lanka, Burl also had to be hospitalised due to an allergic reaction to fish.
However after recently getting an extended run in the national side, where he has now played, one Test, 18 ODIs and 16 T20Is, Burl will be hoping that the just ended tours of Bangladesh and Singapore prove to be a turning point in his career.
