Online Reporter
ZIMBABWE have a chance to win both the Twenty20I series and ODI series when the tour of Ireland comes to an end at Harare Sports Club today.
The Chevrons lead the T20I series 1-0 after a win in a tight match at the same venue on Sunday.
The first match was disrupted by rain.
Zimbabwe won the ODI series 2-1 with an emphatic nine wicket win in the final match at Harare Sports Club.
Ben Curran was the hero with his century.
However, in Sunday’s match Zimbabwe appeared to wobble in their chase.
Craig Young’s four-wicket haul seemed to have put Ireland on the ascendancy, but number six Tony Munyonga dragged Zimbabwe out of a hole with an unbeaten 43 to seal a tight three-wicket win for the hosts.
Their victory with four balls to spare gave Zimbabwe an unassailable 1-0 lead in the three-game series with the first T20I washed out.
Young was not in the T20I squad originally, but brought in late to replace the injured Mark Adair.
Adair had been Ireland’s best bowler in the ODIs, but Young’s new-ball spell made up for his absence.
His first ball of the evening was a short ball that Zimbabwe opener Tadiwanashe Marumani half-heartedly pulled towards short fine leg.
Three balls later, he dug another one in and took Wessly Madhevere’s outside edge to Paul Stirling. Next over, Brian Bennett sliced one to deep backward point and Ireland had the early edge.
Later, when Ireland were desperate for a wicket, his dismissal of Tashinga Musekiwa at what seemed to be a crucial point in the game left him with figures of 4 for 24.
With the early collapse, the experienced pair of Raza and Ryan Burl were the perfect batters to follow.
Ireland kept the pressure up, but Raza grinded it out with only two fours in his 27-ball 22. He could afford to with a middling target.
Burl’s 27 at a strike rate of 135 kept the Zimbabwe innings in touch with the rate.
Ireland, though, dismissed both in quick succession with Burl edging Harry Tector behind and Raza hitting down long off’s throat to leave Zimbabwe at 64 for 5.
Munyonga, though, showed great maturity in navigating a tricky period by contributing in the 33-run sixth-wicket stand with Musekiwa (15) and another 15 runs with Wellington Masakadza.
Number nine Richard Ngarava struck two crucial fours late in the 19th over off Young before Munyonga hit the winning runs with a thrashing through the covers.
All these players will need big performances today if the Chevrons are to win both the ODI and T20I series. − Sports Reporter/Cricinfo
