"Grateful" is the word Tadiwanashe Marumani uses whilst talking about being a part of the Zimbabwe team that has reached the Super 8s stages of ongoing T20 World Cup. The keeper and opening batter, who made some crucial contributions in his team's historic win against Australia and Sri Lanka, wears his family name — Marumani — on his back.
However, that is not all he does. In his heart, he carries the dream of his younger brother Tanatswa. Hailing from a family of cricketing siblings, While Tadiwanashe plays for Zimbabwe senior men's team, the youngest sibling Tawananyasha last played women's team in 2024. Unfortunately, Tanatswa's dream of becoming a cricketer ended abruptly due to septic arthritis on both his hips.
Tanatswa may have emerged the most talented out of the three siblings as he got into the Lilfordia school in Nyabira district (34km from Harare) — country's oldest independent primary boarding school which produced the likes of Andy Flower — on a cricket scholarship. He then moved to Falcon college in Matabeleland to further hone his trade in cricket. At this point, Tadiwanashe and his family thought he would play for the country soon.
However, the dream came crashing down when he had to be operated on for arthritis in 2020. The road back was filled with struggle. While Tanatswa was able to walk, he could not find his mojo back with the bat, as he struggled with mobility.
“I actually thought he'd play for Zimbabwe, but you know, some things are really out of our control. And for me to be playing for my country each and every day, it's really an honour,” the Zimbabwean opener told this daily on the sidelines of practice here on Wednesday. “It was really emotional and really heartbreaking because I also remember I was still in school. And it was something new to me, I couldn't really know how to deal with it. We actually took one day at a time, but it was really heartbreaking,” he added.
When he was in recovery Tanatswa took to photography and decided to become a sports photographer. It was his way of being associated with the sport he loved. In his personal site, Tanatswa says that he has covered Zimbabwe’s matches against New Zealand and South Africa in the tri-series last year and the Zim Afro T10 League in 2024. “For him (Tanatswa), getting into sports photography was just a way of him trying to be involved in sports because he couldn't really get on the field or actually fit enough to play cricket. So, for him, getting into that side or getting into photography was a way of him staying close to the game and actually showing his passion in another way,” Tadiwanashe said.
Having been a part of his brother's journey, the 24-year-old opener is appreciative of the opportunities he has gotten in life. “My name (Tadiwanashe) means love by God. Then Tanatswa, it means mercy or grace from God,” said the opener, exemplifying their persistent belief in the times of hardship. “I think my main takeaway is just gratitude in advance because everything I have or where I am now, it's not promised or guaranteed. So, I try to be grateful with everything I have and to be in this situation, that's all I can. Just to control and focus on the moment, on the present,” he said.
As he takes the field for the Sikandar Raza-led side against India under the lights here in Chepauk, Tadiwanashe will not just be playing for him and his teammates, but also for his 21-year-old brother. “Every time I walk into the field, he calls me or messages me saying, 'hey, big boots, just make sure you're representing me also because I can't be where you are',” Tadiwanashe said.
Come Thursday, he will ensure just that and give his everything to knock India out of the T20 World Cup.