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Brandon Moyo, [email protected]

“SO, my dear daughter, bask in the glory of this extraordinary accomplishment,” read part of the message a super proud father wrote for his daughter who recently achieved a feat that no other female African cricketer ever has.

It is every parent’s dream to witness their child achieve their dreams and scale to greater heights and for renowned filmmaker, Eddie Ndhlovu, watching his teenage daughter etch her name in the annals of cricket history is more than fulfilling.

Father to the Zimbabwe senior women’s national cricket team all-rounder and women’s Under-19 national team skipper, Kelis “Monte” Ndhlovu, the  decorated filmmaker was a happy man when his daughter was named Player of the Tournament at the historic 13th African Games in Accra, Ghana, on Wednesday.

The  teenage sensation, who scored the Lady Chevrons’ winning runs in the Super Over of the final against neighbours South Africa, was a marvel to watch at the African Games and her father believes that her historic achievement is proof to the talent that she possesses.

Kelis Ndhlovu

It was the first time that cricket was played at the continental games and the 18-year-old  Ndhlovu, who in 2023 became the third youngest player to take a five-wicket haul in Women’s one-day internationals, became the first cricketer to be awarded the tournament’s best player accolade as Zimbabwe won gold.

The father couldn’t be more proud of his daughter.

He wrote: “My dearest daughter Kelis ‘Golden Girl’ Ndhlovu. I am utterly speechless, awestruck by your remarkable performance today (Wednesday). You have always managed to make me proud, but today’s achievement in your illustrious cricket career stands as a shining testament to your extraordinary talents.

“Your dedication, perseverance and unwavering commitment to excellence have propelled you to the pinnacle of success.”

Having made her senior debut in 2022 at the age of 16, Ndhlovu established herself as a vital cog of the Lady Chevrons team and since then, has been on course to writing her name in stone as one of the finest female cricketers that has ever emerged from the country.

At such a young age, she has already played close to 40 international matches for the Lady Chevrons, scoring runs and taking wickets to become a mainstay of the team, which is now under the tutelage of Walter Chawaguta.

She has already scored over 600 runs and taken 50 international wickets. At the African Games, the teenage star all-rounder scored 59 runs and took nine wickets in five matches. She has not just become a player, but an inspiration to other young aspiring female cricketers in the country.
In her proud father’s words, she is a reflection of a champion and an inspiration to many, both young and old.

“With each boundary you smash and every wicket you claim, you inspire not only me, but also countless others who look up to you as a beacon of hope and inspiration. “The way you gracefully conquer the challenges on the field reflects the true essence of a champion.

“So my dear daughter, bask in the glory of this extraordinary accomplishment. Today you have etched your name into the annals of cricket history and I am honoured to call myself your father. With immeasurable love and pride,” wrote Eddie Ndhlovu.

Kelis Ndhlovu

The youngster was also named Player of the Match in the final against South Africa where she scored 28 runs off 27 balls and finished with figures of 2/21. Following Francisca Chipare’s brilliant bowling performance in the Super Over where South Africa only scored two runs, Ndhlovu would go on to seal the game with a four in just the second ball.

It is in T20Is where she has shown her prowess for the Lady Chevrons, scoring 577 runs in 32 innings while also taking 36 wickets in 30 innings.

On top of the African Games achievement, Ndhlovu has been invited to participate in the 2024 FairBreak Tournament which will take place in Antigua in the Caribbean. The teenage star is destined for greatness.

Ndhlovu and the Lady Chevrons arrived to a hero’s welcome at the Robert Gabriel Mugabe International Airport in Harare yesterday afternoon. Zimbabwe Cricket rewarded the heroic Lady Chevrons with US$80 000 which will be shared by the victorious team’s players and technical staff. -@brandon_malvin