Zimbabwe batsman Ryan Burl used social media on Saturday to solicit support for the national team, tweeting pictures of worn-out sneakers.
Any chance we can get a sponsor so we don’t have to glue our shoes back after every series 😢 @newbalance @NewBalance_SA @NBCricket @ICAssociation pic.twitter.com/HH1hxzPC0m
— Ryan Burl (@ryanburl3) May 22, 2021
Zimbabwe has been in a downward spiral for some time now due to financial restrictions and poor on-field performances. Earlier this month, they were defeated 0-2 in a Test series by Pakistan, losing both innings. Burl was last seen in action on April 25 in the third Twenty20 International against Zimbabwe and Pakistan. He didn’t bat in the game, but he gave up 33 runs in four overs with the ball.
Notably, Zimbabwe has morphed from a rising cricket powerhouse to a financially ruined and mismanaged cricket authority. The men in red have degraded significantly throughout the years, culminating in an ignominious decline in the last decade.
Burl has appeared in three Tests, 18 One-Day Internationals, and 25 Twenty20 Internationals since making his international debut in 2017. He has 660 runs across formats as a middle-order batsman and a part-time leg-spinner.
Zimbabwe will next play a white-ball series in Ireland. The two countries will play a three-match ODI series beginning August 6, followed by five T20Is on August 15.
