Online Reporter
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE Chevrons will shift their attention to T20I cricket tri-series involving hosts Namibia and South Africa, which starts on August 28, as Zimbabwe continue their preparations for future international assignments.
The tournament in Namibia provides the Chevrons with another opportunity to assess their squad against familiar regional opposition following the conclusion of a busy home schedule.
Zimbabwe recently hosted India for a three-match T20I series in Harare, having also faced Bangladesh across formats earlier.
The forthcoming competition is expected to give the technical team an opportunity to review combinations, strengthen the side’s depth, and expose more players to international cricket.
South Africa will offer Zimbabwe a demanding examination, while Namibia have developed into one of Africa’s most competitive limited-overs teams.
Zimbabwe and Namibia both qualified for the 2026 ICC Men’s T20 World Cup after reaching the final of the Africa Regional Qualifier in Harare last year.
The two countries have regularly met in regional competitions, making their latest encounter another useful measure of their development.
The Chevrons also faced South Africa at the recent T20 World Cup, where the Proteas secured a five-wicket victory in their Super Eight meeting despite an impressive all-round performance from Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza.
The Windhoek tournament will therefore allow Zimbabwe to build on lessons gathered from their recent matches while broadening the selectors’ options.
With the three countries also set to co-host the 2027 ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, the series carries added significance as cricket authorities across the region intensify preparations for the global event.
Zimbabwe’s squad and the detailed fixture programme are expected to be announced anytime soon.
Zimbabwe Cricket managing director Givemore Makoni said it is always important to face strong international opposition.
“Fixtures of this calibre are vital for our growth as a team. With the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2027 on the horizon, this tour provides invaluable preparation as we build towards hosting the tournament alongside South Africa and Namibia.”
NPL U-15 tourney reaches pinnacle
The inaugural National Premier League Under-15 Boys tournament reaches the pinnacle today as Alexandra Sports Club and Amakhosi Cricket Club clash for the title in the much-anticipated final at Kwekwe Sports Club.
The championship decider, scheduled to start at 9:30am, brings together the stand-out teams from the competition’s two regional pools after an impressive round-robin campaign that showcased some of Zimbabwe’s brightest emerging cricket talent.
Alex secured their place in the final by topping Zone 1, finishing ahead of Gladiators, Takashinga Patriots 1, Eastern Titans, Bakers Inn Rangers and Westside.
Their campaign featured convincing victories over Westside, Eastern Titans, and Takashinga Patriots 1.
Although they suffered their only defeat against the Gladiators, they still did enough to finish at the summit of the standings and book their place in the title decider.
Amakhosi, meanwhile, stamped their authority on Zone 2 with a flawless campaign, winning all four of their matches to comfortably secure top spot ahead of Rimuka, Takashinga Patriots 2, Queens Sports Club, and Scorpions.
The final is also set to showcase several of the tournament’s stand-out individual performers.
Alex will look to the prolific Reyaansh Maramreddy, the competition’s leading run-scorer, who has amassed 307 runs, including two centuries, during a remarkable campaign.
With the ball, Arnold Rwatiringa has spearheaded the side’s attack with eight wickets, providing crucial breakthroughs throughout the league phase.
Amakhosi boast impressive match-winners of their own.
Kelvin Phiri heads into the final with 223 runs, highlighted by a magnificent unbeaten 150, while Brian Mhaka has been the tournament’s leading wicket-taker, claiming 12 wickets, including outstanding figures of five for 14, to spearhead his side’s unbeaten run.
Today’s contest promises an intriguing battle between two well-balanced teams that have taken different routes to the final but arrive with the same ambition — to become the inaugural NPL Under-15 Boys champions.
Beyond the silverware, the final also represents another important milestone in Zimbabwe Cricket’s commitment to strengthening its player development pathway by providing aspiring young cricketers with meaningful, high-quality competitive opportunities.
