Bulawayo Braves, Harare Hurricanes face off in Zim Afro T10 opener

THE wait for the Zim Cyber City Zim Afro T10 League is over as the first ball will be bowled at the country’s ceremonial home of cricket, Harare Sports Club tonight.

At 7pm, Sikandar Raza’s Bulawayo Braves will go up against Eoin Morgan’s Harare Hurricanes in a historic feat that will open a new chapter in Zimbabwean cricket history.

Starting after sunset, the match will be the first cricket game to be played under floodlights in Zimbabwe.

Today’s opening match will be the first international franchise league to be played on Zimbabwean soil and Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC), a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) has selected and licensed the T10 format in Zimbabwe.

The two teams that will open the tournament both boast of star-studded line-ups which have a mixture of interesting Zimbabwean and international stars and will provide the perfect entertainment for cricket enthusiasts.

From the Bulawayo Braves side, apart from the skipper Raza, some of the local players in their stable are Ryan Burl, Timycen Maruma, Joylord Gumbie, Innocent Kaia, and Faraz Akram. The overseas players who will light up the Braves camp include Mujeeb Ur Rahman, Taskin Ahmed, and Ashton Turner among others.

The Harare Hurricanes side which is under the captaincy of a World Cup winner Morgan boasts of local talents such as Chris ‘Magwegwe Express’ Mpofu, Regis Chakabva, Luke Jongwe, Brandon Mavuta and Tashinga Musekiwa while their overseas base has the likes of Mohamed Nabi, Evin Lewis and Robin Uthappa, all seasoned campaigners.

Since both sides boast of talented local and international stars, fans can expect a high level cricket on the opening day. The history making encounter is scheduled to last 90 minutes and promises to be one for the history books.

It will not just be fast paced cricket action but also will see world class fashion and music performances to keep fans on their feet throughout.

Prior to the 7pm showdown, there will be an opening ceremony which will be graced by award-winning musician Jah Prayzah. The contemporary musical great will deliver a live performance at 6pm.

Only one match is scheduled for today and from there the league will pick up pace with nine games scheduled over the next three days. The match days with three games will see the first contest begin at 3pm followed by matches at 5pm and the last game starting at 7pm.

Cricket fans outside the capital who are worried about missing the fast-paced action will be covered as Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN) will broadcast the games live. This means cricket enthusiasts across the nation can enjoy the exhilarating 10-over action from the comfort of their homes.

The Zim Afro T10 League promises to be a thrilling extravaganza, injecting a new wave of excitement into Zimbabwe cricket.

With a strong line-up of teams and a perfect blend of local and international talent, cricket fans can look forward to 10 days of unforgettable cricketing moments.

— @brandon_malvin