Namibia and Zimbabwe showcased their cricket prowess on Monday in the ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Africa Region Qualifier, securing crucial victories against Kenya and Rwanda, respectively.
In a thrilling day of cricket, Namibia and Zimbabwe delivered exceptional performances, keeping their hopes alive in the race for T20 World Cup qualification. The victories were pivotal for both teams, reflecting their determination and skill on the field.
Namibia set the tone with a disciplined bowling display that made Kenya toil hard in the early overs. The pressure from the bowlers resulted in early dismissals, putting Kenya on the back foot. Kenya faced setbacks with the quick fall of key players like Rushabhvardhan Patel, Collins Obuya, and Pushkar Sharma, contributing to a paltry total of 104/6 at the end of their innings.
Irfan Karim and Sachin Bhudia emerged as the saviours, stabilizing the innings with crucial knocks. However, the lack of firepower in the final phase hindered Kenya’s ability to post a challenging target.
Namibia faced a minor hiccup during their chase, losing wickets in quick succession. Nevertheless, Jan Frylinck and JJ Smit showcased resilience, orchestrating a match-winning stand of 59 runs and securing Namibia’s victory. With this win, Namibia claimed the top spot in the Africa Region Qualifier points table, boasting four wins from four contests and accumulating eight points. Despite the loss, Kenya managed to hold onto their second place with six points.
Zimbabwe, coming off a surprising defeat to Uganda, displayed a spirited comeback against Rwanda. The team demonstrated a commendable brand of cricket, reaffirming their determination to qualify for the T20 World Cup.
Zimbabwe’s captain, Sikandar Raza, played a pivotal role with both bat and ball. Opening the innings, Raza’s quick-fire 58 set the tone for a formidable total, complemented by his stellar performance in the bowling department. Tadiwanashe Marumani, Ryan Burl, and Luke Jongwe provided brisk contributions in the death overs, guiding Zimbabwe to an imposing total of 215/4. Their collective effort showcased the team’s depth in batting.
Zimbabwe’s bowlers, led by Sikandar Raza, ensured Rwanda’s chase never gained momentum. Early wickets by Richard Ngrava and Blessing Muzarabani, coupled with a clinical spell from Ryan Burl, restricted Rwanda’s scoring opportunities.
Raza’s exceptional performance reached its pinnacle with a historic hat-trick in the 19th over, marking the first by a Zimbabwean men’s cricketer in this format. His all-round display earned him the Player of the Match award, his sixth this year, tying with India’s Virat Kohli.
Despite the emphatic win, Zimbabwe finds themselves in the fourth spot with four points, requiring favourable results in other matches to secure qualification. Uganda holds the second spot with six points and a net run rate of 0.503.
