Chevrons in impressive start

Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
Zimbabwe 236/5 20 overs (Raza 87, Williams 53, Ervine 34, Krishna 1/31) beat Singapore 125/7 20 overs (Prakash 32, Chatara 3/14, Muzarabani 2/21) by 111 runs

SIKANDAR Raza slammed a career best 87 runs to power Zimbabwe to a 111-run victory over Singapore in their opening match of the International Cricket Council Twenty20 World Cup Qualifier B at Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo yesterday.

Raza smashed five sixes and eight fours on his way to his best ever score in the shortest format of the game; bettering his previous best of 59 scored against Afghanistan in September 2015.

The right-handed batsman now has the third highest score for Zimbabwe in a T20I after the 94 blasted by Solomon Mire against Pakistan in July 2018 and the 93 not out by Hamilton Masakadza against Bangladesh in January 2016.

Raza was ably supported by left hander Sean Williams, who made 53 to guide Zimbabwe to their highest ever T20I score, surpassing the 200/2 they made against New Zealand in a losing cause in February 2012.

Tendai Chatara and Blessing Muzarabani did all the damage with the ball to choke Singapore’s chase and restrict them to 125/7 in their 20 overs.

Captain Craig Ervine and Regis Chakabva gave Zimbabwe a flying start after the home team lost the toss and were sent in to bat.

Chakabva was the first to depart, run out for 24 in the fourth over before Ervine also went for 34 trying to play a big shot off the bowling of Aryaman Sunil, but only succeeded in getting the ball into the gloves of wicketkeeper Manpreet Singh.

Wessley Madhevere did not last at the crease after being caught by Akshay Puri off the bowling of Janak Prakash for two runs off five balls.

Raza and Williams put the Singapore bowlers to the sword in their 103 runs for the fourth-wicket partnership.
The two raced to their half centuries in quick succession.

Singapore never really got going and lost their first wicket with just six runs on the board and they never recovered, as they staggered throughout their innings before eventually stumbling over.

In the afternoon match at the same venue, Netherlands, one of the favourites to win the tournament, defeated Papua New Guinea by 52 runs.