Zimbabwe loses cricket talent to England

The ECB are to lobby the government to expedite exciting batting talent Tawanda Muyeye's eligibility for England.

Kent opener Muyeye, 22, is currently on a five-year leave to remain period which ends in February 2026, after arriving in the UK from Zimbabwe as an asylum seeker.

At that point, he would then be in a position to apply for indefinite leave and British citizenship – meaning he would be available for England selection from 2027.

However, the ECB have been working on his case in conjunction with Kent's director of cricket Paul Downton in the hope that they can bring forward that date, after England team director Rob Key and performance director Mo Bobat identified the attacking player as a future international.

Last week, he struck his maiden first-class hundred – an innings of 179 from 205 balls in Kent's innings win over Northamptonshire at Wantage Road.

The Zimbabwe-born batter would be eligible to play for England from 2027 if he gains British citizenship – though the ECB want to bring this date forward

However, England's interest in the Harare-born player pre-dates this season, having observed him closely since he was named Wisden's school cricketer of the year for piling up more than 1,000 runs for Eastbourne College in 2019 – not long after his mother, a vocal critic of human rights violations in their homeland, was granted refugee status here.

Muyeye is in a group of young batters also including Surrey's Jamie Smith that the selectors believe suit the Test team's policy of putting pressure on opposition bowling attacks with assertive stroke play.

Exactly when they are able to integrate him into their plans, however, will depend on upcoming dialogue with the Home Office.