dyton mupawaenda
Lawrence Moyo-Head Zimpapers Sports
NATIONAL cricket captain Sikandar Raza became the highest T20 international run scorer for the Chevrons as Zimbabwe beat Kenya by 110 runs in their final 2024 World Cup qualifier in Windhoek yesterday.
Despite the huge win, the Chevrons missed out on a Top Two position for the remaining slots at the tournament set for mid next year following humiliating defeats to Namibia and Uganda in two of the opening three matches last week.
Raza was appointed captain of the Chevrons ahead of the qualifiers and will be disappointed at the embarrassing exit as Zimbabwe will be the only Test-playing nation missing from the finals being jointly staged by the West Indies and the United States.
Yesterday he scored 82 runs to reach a career total of 1709 runs in 73 innings between 2013 and now, surpassing former captain Hamilton Masakadza who made 1662 runs in 66 innings between 2006 and 2019 when he retired.
Masakadza holds the highest individual T20 international score, an unbeaten 93, while Raza’s best knock to date has been 87.
Longest serving player, Sean Williams is third and also closing in on Masakadza with 1640 runs from 74 innings between 2006 and now. He needs just 23 runs to move into second place.
There are only five Chevrons batsmen to have accumulated 1000 runs in T20 internationals with former captain Craig Ervine fourth on 1349 runs in 64 innings between 2010 and now while Ryan Burl has 1052 in 63 innings between 2018 and now.
Raza, Masakadza and Williams have all scored 11 half centuries while Ervine has eight and Burl just two.
Wesley Madhevere is one run short of a 1000 as he did not have an opportunity to bat in yesterday’s match against Kenya with the Chevrons making 217/4 after being sent in to bat.
Meanwhile, Raza was the Chevrons’ man-of-the-match again as he followed his 82 runs with the bat with bowling figures of two for 21 in four overs.
Raza opened the batting with Tadiwanashe Marumani again and they put 88 for the first wicket before Marumani fell for 27 off 22 balls in the 10th over while Raza followed for 82 off 48 balls after smashing eight sixes and one four.
Williams was also brutal at number three as he hit five sixes and four fours for a quick-fire 60 off 26 balls for the innings’ second highest contribution as Zimbabwe lost four wickets on their way to 217.
The target was always going to be difficult for a struggling Kenya side and they stumbled to 107/8 in their 20 overs.
Burl was the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers with two wickets for 14 in four overs while consistent Richard Ngarava took two wickets for 14 in three overs and Williams claimed two wickets for one run in one over.
That was all in vain as Uganda had already secured the remaining ticket after beating Rwanda by nine wickets with 71 balls to spare.
Zimbabwe finished third and had the highest net run rate from their four wins out of six games but it was never put to use.
Final standings
P W L T NR Pts NRR
Namibia 6 6 0 0 0 12 2.658
Uganda 6 5 1 0 0 10 1.334
Zimbabwe 6 4 2 0 0 8 2.922
Kenya 6 3 3 0 0 6 -0.911
Nigeria 6 1 4 0 1 3 -1.026
Tanzania 6 1 5 0 0 2 -1.507
Rwanda 6 0 5 0 1 1 -4.303
Online Reporter