THE Takashing horned former Zimbabwe cricket captain Tatenda Taibu will play a key role at the upcoming ICC Men’s Under 19 World Cup after being unveiled as the tournament’s Ambassador ahead of the event, which bowls off on January 10 in Zimbabwe and Namibia.

Taibu was the first black cricket national team captain and the youngest Test captain in history, at 20 in 2004 and represented Zimbabwe in 28 Tests, 150 One‑Day Internationals and 17 T20Is in an 11‑year international career.

The former captain joined Takashinga more than two decades ago as a young boy and rose through the ranks with the club becoming a second home to him. Takashinga produced several Zimbabwe internationals, including Hamilton Masakadza, Chamu Chibhabha, Richard Nagarava, and Blessing Muzarabani, solidifying its important role in developing Zimbabwean cricket.

Taibu, a former player of the tournament, spoke in a video recording at the tournament launch at Cresta Lodge in Harare on Saturday, where he congratulated participating teams and praised the Zimbabwe Cricket Board and Namibian Cricket Board for hosting the event.

“Firstly, I would like to congratulate all the players for working hard and making it into various teams that will be participating in this edition of the Under-19 Men’s Cricket World Cup,” Taibu said.

“I would also like to congratulate Zimbabwe Cricket Board as well as the Namibian Cricket Board for hosting this edition of the World Cup.”

The tournament will be played at several venues, including Harare Sports Club, Queen’s Sports Club, Takashinga Sports Club, and the Windhoek Sports Club in Namibia.

Taibu, who captained the Zimbabwe U19 team in the 2000 World Cup in Sri Lanka and was player of the tournament in the 2002 World Cup in New Zealand, shared words of wisdom with the young players.

“My memory takes me back to where I also was part of the Under-19 team… I know that it is very important and you want to play well and you want to win,” he said.

“Make sure that you enjoy the game. You always play well when you enjoy your cricket.”

Taibu emphasised the importance of playing with the right spirit and enjoying the experience.

“Don’t forget to enjoy Africa, the warmth of Africa, the beauty of Africa, because you’re also going to get into these two countries,” he added.