Online Reporter
Tinashe Kusema-Zimpapers Sports Hub
ZIMBABWE cruised into the ICC Men’s T20 Cricket World Cup Africa Qualifiers knock-out phase with a 100 percent record sealing their dominance with a 113-run victory over Tanzania at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
Brian Bennett’s maiden century and a four-wicket haul from Bradley Evans gave Zimbabwe the win and ensured that they finished the group stages on top with six points.
The win also ensured that Zimbabwe potentially set up a favourable draw for the semi-finals. Despite being on the losing side, Tanzania also go through as group runners-up and will meet Namibia while Zimbabwe square off against Kenya in the last four battles tomorrow.
The Chevrons must now clear the Kenya hurdle as only the finalists from this eight-team qualifier will proceed to next year’s World Cup in India and Sri Lanka.
The identity of those two will be determined after the semi-finals tomorrow.
However, for now, Chevrons gaffer Justin Sammons can rest easy as his charges appeared to be getting into their groove as evidenced by yesterday’s superb all-round performance with both bat and ball.
Tanzania skipper Kassimu Nassoro won the toss and sent Zimbabwe in to bat.
The hosts posted 221 for five during their allotted 20 overs.
Bennett top-scored for the Chevrons with a brilliant 111 runs off 60 balls continuing with his rich vein of form throughout the competition and, to a larger extent, the year.
The 21-year-old’s knock was the personification of power hitting as it featured 15 boundaries and two sixes.
He also shared a 138-run first-wicket partnership with Tadiwanashe Marumani, who finished one run shy of what could have been his seventh half-century.
Marumani was eventually dismissed on 49 runs off 34 balls when he trapped leg-before-wicket by Tanzania’s Laksh Bakraina in the 13th over.
By the time of Marumani’s dismissal, Zimbabwe were already well on their way to a big score as cameos from skipper Sikandar Raza (19 runs off nine balls) and Ryan Burl’s 22 runs off 11 balls helped the Chevrons tether towards the 200-run mark.
The two joined Bennett at the crease, who would eventually end his innings on 111 when he was caught at long on Ajith Augastin off the bowling of Ally Kimote, after going after one too many balls.
Tashinga Musekiwa and Dion Meyers finished unbeaten on four and six runs respectively as Zimbabwe posted 221 runs.
Khalidy Juma and Kimote finished as the pick of the Tanzania bowlers with two wickets apiece while Laksh Bakraina chipped in with a scalp of his own.
Tanzania did not have the best of run chases as the East Africans could only muster 108 runs before they were bowled out.
Only three batters managed to make double-digit figures as wickets fell at regular intervals and runs were hard to come by.
Opener Abhik Patwa top-scored for Tanzania with 32 runs off 22 balls while their cameo knocks from the skipper Nassoro and Khalidy Juma.
The two chipped in with knocks of 25 runs off 27 balls and 20 runs off 18 balls respectively.
Credit should, however, go to the Zimbabwe bowlers with Evans picking up four wickets for 16 runs while Richard Ngarava and Raza chipped in with two wickets apiece.
Tinotenda Maposa and Burl also had a scalp each to make sure it was an all-round effort from the Zimbabwe bowlers.
In the other Group B match, Uganda cruised to an eight-wicket win over Botswana at Takashinga Cricket Club.
Namibia beat Malawi by eight wickets at Harare Sports Club to top Group A while Kenya pulled off an upset when they cruised to a seven-wicket victory over Nigeria to advance into the semi-finals
