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TATENDA Taibu, the former Zimbabwe captain, will return to professional cricket at the age of 35 when he debuts for the Baduraliya Sports Club, a Sri Lankan first-class side, later this month.

He said the motivation behind his return was a conversation he had with his son.

“I have said many times that my life is not guided by emotion or well-set plans, but I believe I am led by a voice inside my heart which I cannot ignore,” Taibu, who now lives in the UK, was quoted as saying in a release.

“My son Tatenda Jr also often asks how I used to play, now that he has taken a liking to the sport.

“He didn’t really get the chance to see me as he was too young at the time. I have stayed extremely fit and healthy and feel I’m still one of the fittest cricketers around, so I thought maybe I can let him see for himself how I can perform.”

At 21, the wicketkeeper-batsman, had become Test cricket’s youngest-ever captain, in 2004.

He, however, retired from all forms of the game in 2012 after a topsy-turvy career to focus on church work.

Taibu had played 28 Tests, 150 One-Day Internationals and 17 T20Is for Zimbabwe.

Taibu returned in 2016 as player and coach for Hightown St Mary’s CC, a club in the UK. He was then named convener of selectors in 2017 for the Zimbabwe national side.

However, the three-run defeat to the United Arab Emirates along with Zimbabwe not qualifying for the World Cup 2019 had him sacked by the board along with head coach Heath Streak and skipper Graeme Cremer.

— Cricbuzz