Stuart Matsikenyeri is a hard working batsman who showed plenty of promise when he played for the Zimbabwe Under-16 and Under-19 teams. His talent was rewarded by the selectors, who chose him in the squad to take on Pakistan in the ODIs in 2002. Opening the batting and facing the likes of Wasim Akram and Waqar Younis, he failed in his first two ODIs. His first major knock was during the 2004 Natwest tri-series featuring England and South Africa. He scored a vital 44 and shared a 96-run stand with Grant Flower after Zimbabwe were reduced to 15/4. The efforts of both the batsmen helped Zimbabwe register an upset win over England.

He struggled to maintain consistency in ODIs for most of 2003 and 2004, but he was rewarded with a Test cap in the 2003 season against the West Indies. He started off in style by scoring a half-century on debut and amassed a gritty, unbeaten 46 in the second innings. However, he struggled in the subsequent series against Sri Lanka. He only managed one fifty in the next couple of Test matches before Zimbabwe's withdrawal from Test cricket.

Matsikenyeri suffered a prolonged slump in form and he spent time out of the game in 2006 when he refused to sign a new contract with the board. However, he reconsidered his decision and made a comeback in 2007 and was included in the World Cup squad in 2007. He started off in style by scoring an unbeaten 73 against Ireland, but he failed to guide the team to a win as Ireland held their nerve to secure a tie. Following Zimbabwe's early exit from the tournament, Matsikenyeri scored some important fifties but his inconsistency plagued him.

Poor form then forced him out of the team in 2010. After a near two year hiatus, Matsikenyeri came back into the team for Zimbabwe's tour of New Zealand. Unfortunately, he misfired as the national selectors cast him into the wilderness again.

Consistent performances in the domestic circuit and the experience of playing more than 100 ODIs got Matsikenyeri a place in the 15-man World Cup squad. Though he has not played international cricket for more than two years, the selectors have picked him based on a good First-Class season. He is also one of the four players in the World Cup squad to have played more than 100 ODIs, the other three being Brendan Taylor, Hamilton Masakadza and Elton Chigumbura.

By Cricketlineguruji Staff