Meet man who is known for iconic face-off with Sachin Tendulkar, later received death threats, was forced to leave his country due to..., now works as...

For Indian cricket fans, the name Henry Olonga brings back a strong memory from the late 1990s. In the final of the 1998 Coca-Cola Cup in Sharjah, a young Zimbabwean fast bowler named Olonga was hit hard by none other than Sachin Tendulkar. Tendulkar smashed an unbeaten 124 off 92 balls, guiding India to a 10-wicket win. Olonga, who bowled six overs in that match, gave away 50 runs.

But there is much more to Olonga’s story than that one match. In 2003, during the Cricket World Cup, Olonga and his teammate Andy Flower wore black armbands in protest. They were speaking out against the “death of democracy” under Zimbabwe’s then-leader Robert Mugabe. That bold step led to serious consequences. Olonga received death threats and had to flee his country. He ended up in Australia, where he tried to build a new life through music.

Olonga’s music career hasn’t been easy. He even appeared on “The Voice” in 2019 but hasn’t found much success. Speaking to The Telegraph, he shared lyrics from a song he wrote in his cricketing days, expressing love and longing for Zimbabwe. Listening to that song now, he says, brings back painful memories.

He has not returned to Zimbabwe since going into exile. He hasn’t seen his father, who still lives in Bulawayo and is now in his mid-80s, for over 20 years.

Today, Olonga uploads songs to his YouTube channel and sings wherever he can. Recently, he has performed on cruise ships. “Some people think cruise ships are where singers go when they haven’t made it anywhere else,” he said. “But I don’t have an ego. I sing in retirement homes, in front of school kids, and even in small bars with only three people. I just love to sing.”

Besides singing, he has worked as a public speaker, a boat cleaner, and more. “My life might look boring to some, but it’s honest. I stay out of trouble,” he added.

Olonga once considered returning when Mugabe was overthrown in 2017, but never did. “It’s too hard now,” he says. “I live in Adelaide. I’ve started a new life. I think like a Westerner now.”