Debut Delight: Zimbabwe’s Vincent Masekesa Shines with the Ball in Chattogram Test

A Test debut is always special—and for Zimbabwe’s young leg-spinner Vincent Masekesa, it was a day to remember at the Zahur Ahmed Chowdhury Stadium in Chattogram. On the second day of the Test against Bangladesh, Masekesa made a mark with the ball, claiming three crucial wickets and putting the hosts under pressure with his impressive spin bowling.

Speaking at the post-day press conference, Masekesa shared his excitement and emotions about his debut performance. A passionate follower of leg-spin, he revealed that he draws inspiration from both legends and emerging talents in the game—especially from Bangladesh’s own rising spinner Rishad Hossain.

"I'm a huge fan of leg-spinners,” Masekesa said. “I regularly watch Shane Warne, Adil Rashid, Yuzvendra Chahal, Adam Zampa. And of course, there's Rishad in Bangladesh! I've watched him quite a few times, love his bowling, and try to learn from it.”

While Zimbabwean leg-spinner Graeme Cremer remains his idol, Masekesa admitted that he is particularly inspired by Rishad’s aggressive and intelligent style of bowling.

“Watching Rishad shows how fearless and smart young bowlers can be these days. I really try to learn by watching players like him,” he added.

Reflecting on his debut success, Masekesa said, “After I got my first wicket, everything started to feel easier. I’m still learning in Test cricket, but it feels great to contribute to the team.”

Despite Bangladesh holding the upper hand in the match so far, Masekesa remains optimistic and focused.

“Bangladesh are playing well, but we’re still in the game. We just need to keep landing the ball in the right areas and look for wickets. If we do that, we can still make something happen,” he concluded confidently.