admin
Eddie Chikamhi Senior Sports Reporter
THE Zimbabwe women’s cricket team maintained their unbeaten run, at the ongoing ICC Women’s T20 World Cup 2023 Africa Qualifier, after thrashing minnows Mozambique by 171 runs, yesterday.
The Lady Chevrons top Group A, with eight points, after winning all the four games they have played at the tournament, currently taking place in Botswana.
The Zimbabweans batted first yesterday and put on 205/3, against an untidy Mozambican bowling outfit, which conceded 30 extras.
Josephine Nkomo, who was the captain, in place of Mary-Anne Musonda, led from the front, with an unbeaten 56 from 32 balls.
Zimbabwe started well, after Ashley Ndiraya (31) and Modester Mupachikwa (38) gave them a solid foundation in a 96-run partnership, for the first wicket, in nine overs.
Mozambique were bowled out for 34.
Precious Marange was the pick of the Zimbabwean bowlers, with four wickets for eight runs. Loreen Tshuma weighed in with bowling figures of 3/6 while Loryn Phiri had two wickets to her name. Zimbabwe are the top-ranked side at the qualifier and have lived up to the billing with dominant performances over Tanzania, Eswatini and hosts Botswana.
They opened their campaign with a laboured six-wicket victory over Tanzania last Friday.
They then made light work of Eswatini in the second game. The Zimbabweans bowled out their opponents, for a meagre total of 17 runs, before racing to an easy 10-wicket win.
Esther Mbofana was Player of the Match, for her six-wicket haul, against Eswatini.
The third match, against hosts Botswana, was also a no-contest.
Fixtures:
Today – Eswatini v Tanzania (BCA 1, 09:15); Uganda v Sierra Leone (BCA 2, 09:30) Botswana v Rwanda (BCA 1, 14:15); Cameroon v Namibia (BCA 2, 14:30)
Wednesday – Sierra Leone v Cameroon (BCA 2, 14:30);
Thursday – Mozambique v Eswatini (BCA 1, 09:15); Rwanda v Zimbabwe (BCA 2, 09:30); Tanzania v Botswana (BCA 1, 14:15);
Friday – A1 vs B2 (BCA 1, 09:15) B1 vs A2 (BCA 2: 14:15)
Saturday – Rest/Reserve Day
Sunday – 3rd/4th place playoff (BCA 1, 09:30); Final (BCA 2: 14:15)
Online Reporter