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Lawrence Moyo
Head Zimpapers Sports
ZIMBABWE registered their biggest Twenty20 International cricket win with a 144-run victory over Rwanda in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier Final at the Wanderers Sports Ground in Windhoek yesterday.
The Chevrons were asked to bat and made 215/4 in 20 overs, their second highest innings total in history and only their fifth score of over 200 behind the 236/5 against Singapore at Harare Sports Club last year.
A margin of 144 runs is the highest by Zimbabwe, bettering the 111-run win over Singapore when they made the record score last year while the 109-run win over Canada defending 185 in 2008 complete the only three occasions the Chevrons won a T20I by over at least 100 runs.
This huge victory might come to nought for the Chevrons as they no longer have control over Uganda’s results following Sunday’s five-wicket humiliation at the hands of the East African minnows.
Rwanda sent in Zimbabwe to bat and captain Sikandar Raza promoted himself to open the innings with Tadiwanashe Marumani and they went on to register the second highest first wicket partnership of 99 before Raza was caught and bowled in the 11th over.
Their stand just fell short of the 101 by Vusi Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza against Bangladesh at Khulna in January of 2016.
Raza was the innings topscorer with 58 runs off 36 balls, hitting six fours and four sixes at a strike rate of 161.11 percent.
He now holds the record for Most Sixes for Zimbabwe in T20I cricket with 69, four more than former captain Hamilton Masakadza, who retired on 65 sixes.
It became 119/2 when fellow opener Marumani departed for a career-best 50 scored off 31 balls — he hit four fours and three sixes.
Nick Welch batted at number three and made 18 off 15 balls while Sean Williams added 22 from 14 balls before departing in the 19th over with Zimbabwe 176/4.
Ryan Burl was unbeaten on 44 off 21 balls after smashing five fours and three sixes. Luke Jongwe was pushed up to number six and scored 17 off just four balls, hitting two sixes and a four to push Zimbabwe to 215/4.
Raza was named man-of-the-match as he grabbed three late wickets for three runs in 2.4 overs to add to his batting achievements while Ngarava had three for 11 in three overs and Burl took two wickets for just seven runs in four overs.
Online Reporter