Dawid Malan Exclusive Interview with CricTracker: Former England cricket team batsman David Malan had announced his retirement from international cricket on 28 August this year. David Malan has played in many franchises of the country and has proved his mettle.

After retirement, he is playing in the Zim Afro T10 League. Zim Afro T is a T10 cricket league in Zimbabwe, featuring teams from South Africa, Zimbabwe and Nigeria. The league is owned by Tee Ten Sports Management and was launched in 2023 in collaboration with Zimbabwe Cricket. The inaugural edition of the tournament was played in July 2023.

In an exclusive interview with CricTracker, Dawid Malan has expressed his opinion on some things-

Question: You have performed brilliantly in the Jim Afro T10 and now the next step for Cape Town Samp Army is to reach the playoffs. Tell us about the league stage of this tournament and how was it for you?

A: Yes, it’s been awesome. First of all, this is my first time playing in Zimbabwe and it was great. It has also been fantastic to be part of the Cape Town Samp Army. We were watched very well and played some very good cricket. It is natural for players to fluctuate in performance in the T10 format. But, we have also played some very good matches. After today’s match, if the results go in our favor then we can come second, and we can get two chances. Overall, it has been a very fun and good tournament.

Question: What are your thoughts regarding the T10 format? This is the fastest and shortest format, so how was your experience?

Answer: Yes, it’s a lot of fun. In this format you can just go out and play bigger shots and experiment more. The best thing is that it has the impact player rule, so I don’t have to field. So, this is my favorite format, where I can just bat and avoid fielding.

Question: Jim Afro There are also many young Zimbabwean players in the T10. What do you think about his talent, and what is the conversation with him?

Answer: Yes, I am very impressed by his talent. You usually see Zimbabwe’s domestic players only in international matches, but here some young players are getting a chance to play on the big stage. It is great for him that he is sharing the dressing room with the players who played the World Cup finals. I had breakfast with David Willey this morning and discussed bowling. That’s what you want from these tournaments, for players to interact and learn from each other.

Question: England’s performance in the last ODI World Cup was not good, but individually you did well. Tell us about that experience.

Answer: Yes, personally it was great that I scored runs and contributed to some wins. It’s everyone’s dream to score a century in the World Cup, and for me it was a dream come true. It was disappointing from the team’s point of view that we couldn’t do better. We had the potential to win that World Cup, but we could not perform well together.

Question: What are your thoughts about the future of the England team, especially when it comes to baseball?

Answer: Whenever there is a change in a team, the performance of senior players is important. You saw how Jonny Bairstow and Joe Root performed brilliantly in the Test team. The same thing applies for the white ball team also. It is important for senior players to perform consistently so that they can inspire the younger players. I think England still have a lot of depth and when all the players are available, they will be on their way to victory again.

Question: Is there a possibility of your return to international cricket? Are you thinking about returning?

Answer: No, my time is up. I’m 37 years old and I think it’s time for me to spend more time with my family. I am not thinking about my comeback in international cricket.

Question: How was your experience in IPL with Punjab Kings? Is there a fun incident you would like to share?

Answer: Yes, I really enjoyed my time with Punjab Kings.

Question: What would be your message to the young players, especially regarding Test and franchise cricket?

Answer: My message would be to believe in yourself and handle pressure well. You should always try to win the game. Be it Test or white ball cricket, the most important thing is that you win for the team.