CHAMUNORWA CHIBHABHA had a fantastic game of cricket during the just-ended India tour of Zimbabwe.
Chibhabha was the only silver lining in an otherwise very dark cloud.
While other batsmen struggled with form, it was the 28-year-old who won it for Zimbabwe, though in a losing cause.
Zimbabwe lost all the three One Day International (ODI) cricket series and drew 1-all in the Twenty20 series.
Batting at number two, the former Southern Rocks all-rounder proved he has matured in the game.
He has long exorcised the duck ghost that marked his debut for Zimbabwe in 2005 during the Video Con Tri-Series.
The right-handed batsman is rather a slow starter as in the first ODI against India at Harare Sports Club, he managed just three runs.
The responsibility of leading has not been a problem as he was captain of Southern Rocks in his home town Masvingo.
Being responsible for laying the foundation of the game in the top order, the all-rounder has been effective.
Top order woes have been Zimbabwe’s Achilles heel.
Could Chibhabha be the right man for the top order?
If his consistency was no fluke, definitely the right-handed batsman needs to be given a chance to have more game time.
Vusimuzi Sibanda has been struggling in that capacity.
Their combination has not been fruitful, but Chibhabha made the scoreboard tick.
After making three runs in the first ODI, Chibhabha got two wickets for 25 runs in 10 overs he bowled with an economy rate of 2.50.
In the second ODI, Chibhabha bowled five overs for 27 runs with one wicket to his credit.
He made 72 runs from the 100 balls he faced.
Sibanda was dismissed for two runs.
In the third ODI, the Masvingo-born batsman made 82 runs, 17 runs short of his career best of 99.
He faced 109 balls. He bowled eight overs and claimed one wicket.
In the first T20, Chibhabha made a quick-fire 23 from 27 deliveries.
He did not bowl.
In the second T20, the all-rounder made his career best with 67 runs from 51 balls.
As a fielder, the 28-year-old has no blemish.
With such statistics, the opening batsman could be another stalwart coming out of the cocoon.
Now Zimbabwe take aim at New Zealand who tour the country next month for three ODI and one-off T20 match.