Under-19 women’s cricket team wallop Namibia

Blessing Malinganiza

Sports Reporter

THE Zimbabwe Under-19 women’s team thumped their Namibian counterparts by 96 runs to take a 1-0 lead in the six-match T20I friendly series yesterday.

Namibia are hosting the matches as part of the team’s preparations for next year’s International Cricket Council Un-der-19 T20 World Cup.

After winning the toss, Zimbabwe chose to bat first before setting a target of 132 runs for Namibia to win.

Zimbabwe scored 131 runs for the loss of seven wickets in their allotted 20 overs.

Beloved Biza carried her fine form from the Kwibuka T20I tournament, held in Rwanda last week, as she top-scored for Zimbabwe with 62 runs off 64 balls.

Biza was named the player of the match.

Runyararo Pasipanodya was the second-highest scorer for Zimbabwe with 23 runs from 24 balls.

The rest of the squad failed to get to double figures with the Under-19 skipper Kelis Ndlovu scoring five runs.

Needing to defend what seemed a modest score, the Zimbabwe bowlers were ruthless in their bowling as they bundled out the hosts for 35 runs inside 11 overs to cruise to a 96-run victory.

Namibia had already lost five wickets for just 18 runs at the end of five overs.

At the halfway stage of their innings, Namibia had lost nine wickets before being bowled out after 10.3 overs.

The highest scorer from Namibia managed six runs. Zimbabwe bowler Chipo Moyo took five while Ndlovhu, Mutasa Biza, Olinda Chare, and Passionate Munorwei claimed a single wicket each.