Kent prospect Tawanda Muyeye was granted the right to remain in the UK last year after his family was forced to leave his native Zimbabwe and seek asylum.
Muyeye's mother was an active member of the Movement for Democratic Change party, which was formed in 1999 to oppose then President Robert Mugabe. As a result of her involvement with the party, she fled to England when Muyeye was just 14 due to fears over her safety.
"I had no idea why she was suddenly gone," Muyeye told New Frame. "It was so abrupt. My dad knew what was going [on] but he wouldn't say. We [Muyeye and his siblings] were all away at school so I guess they thought they could just let it slide.
"I was so angry. It was weird. My dad was deliberately vague about it all. I was angry for a while. It was only two years later that I knew the full story.
"My mom effectively was a refugee and had obtained asylum in England. She was scared, always looking over her shoulder. She had to leave for her safety."
Muyeye was a talented sportsman and represented Zimbabwe at under-16 level in both cricket and rugby, before cricket became his main focus. With his sister joining his mother in the UK as a refugee, Muyeye decided to apply to several UK schools for a cricket scholarship in a bid to be closer to them.
Eastbourne College accepted the teenager and he has gone from strength to strength on the field, signing his first professional contract with Kent last year shortly after he was granted the right to remain in the country. Muyeye last visited Zimbabwe in 2019 to see his father, but the trip was discomforting and led to him deciding to also seek asylum.
"I felt uncomfortable the whole time," he added of his last visit to Zimbabwe. "That's when I decided to follow my mom and seek asylum.
He will become eligible to represent England in 2027 but for now, Muyeye is looking to build on a decent debut season for Kent which saw him average 35.50 across six innings in last year's County Championship. He was named Wisden Schools Cricketer of the Year in 2020 and is highly rated at Kent, with former coach Rob Ferley claiming he could one day become "the best player in the world".
Muyeye said: "It's my dream to play for England. That door is closed [representing Zimbabwe]. I love the country. I'll always be Zimbabwean in my heart, even if I play for England. But it's not safe there for me and my family. I don't feel comfortable even being there right now."
