Zim Afro T10 countdown begins

JUST two days are remaining before the commencement of one of cricket’s most exciting tournaments, the Zim Cyber Zim Afro T10 league which gets underway at the country’s ceremonial home of cricket, Harare Sports Club on 20 July.

The tournament which runs from Thursday until July 29 will see five privately owned franchise teams battle it out for the top honours. All matches will be played at Harare Sports Club.

It will be a first of its kind in Zimbabwe and is organised by Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) and T Ten Global Sports, and the league promises to be an absolute carnival of cricket. It will also be the first T10 league by a full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

As the build up intensifies, some of the teams have announced their captains with Chevrons stalwart, Sikandar Raza set to lead the Bulawayo Braves team while national team skipper Craig Ervine will lead the Durban Qalandars side.

Sean Williams, who was the first player to be bought in the draft was named vice-captain of the Cape Town Samp Army.
The other two teams that will take part in the historic league are Harare Hurricanes and the Johannesburg Buffaloes.

In another historic event, it will be the first time that Harare Sports Club hosts a cricket match at night. The floodlights project, which has taken over a decade to complete, is likely to be done and dusted by the time the first ball is bowled.

Harare Hurricanes and the Bulawayo Braves face off in the first game at 7pm. After the opening day, the league will pick up pace with nine games scheduled over the next three days. The match days with three games will see the first contest begin at 3pm, followed by matches at 5pm and the last game starting at 7pm.

There will be six days when three games will be played each day while on 24 and 27 July, two games will be played per day. Each match is scheduled to last 90 minutes. Cricket enthusiasts outside the capital who wish to watch the league matches should not worry as all the games will be live on Television.

All matches will be held at Harare Sports Club and for those unable to attend in person, Zimpapers Television Network (ZTN) will broadcast the games live. This means cricket enthusiasts across the nation can enjoy the exhilarating 10-over action from the comfort of their homes.

The Zim Afro T10 League promises to be a thrilling extravaganza, injecting a wave of excitement into Zimbabwe cricket. With a strong line-up of teams and a perfect blend of local and international talent, cricket fans can look forward to 10 days of unforgettable cricketing moments. So mark your calendars, Zimbabwe cricket fans and get ready to witness history in the making. – @brandon_malvin