DEFENDING champions Gladiators Cricket Club are two victories away from retaining their NPL T20 Blast crown after beating Old Hararians by four wickets in Thursday’s Eliminator at Takashinga Cricket Club in Harare.
Having secured their place in the knockout stages, Gladiators have now cleared their first hurdle, setting up a decisive meeting with Rimuka Cricket Club on Friday.
The winner will face SOGO Rangers in Saturday’s final after Rangers defeated Rimuka in Thursday’s other playoff encounter.
Gladiators’ latest victory was built on a ruthless bowling performance that reduced Old Hararians to 16/5 inside four overs, leaving their opponents with too much ground to recover despite a late fightback.
Player of the match Arineshto Vhezha led the attack with 3/28, while Victor Nyauchi delivered an equally important spell of 2/12 from four overs as Old Hararians were restricted to 123/9.
Gladiators reached 124/6 in 18.1 overs, completing a chase that became more difficult than their early bowling dominance had suggested.
Their league campaign featured powerful batting displays, narrow finishes and contributions from across the squad. In the knockout stages, where one defeat can end a season, they needed their bowlers to take control.
Nyauchi provided the perfect start when he removed Ahsan Aqil Ali for a duck in the opening over.
He followed up by dismissing Clive Madande for two, while Vhezha accounted for Old Hararians captain Aliakbar Hamid, Muhammad Zaheer Tufail and Luke Jongwe.
Hamid managed just one run, with Tufail and Jongwe both departing without scoring.
At 16/5 after 3.5 overs, Old Hararians were already in serious trouble.
Tony Munyonga continued the pressure, finishing with 2/20, while Munashe Zata claimed 1/19 and captain Milton Shumba took 1/14.
At the halfway stage, Old Hararians were struggling at 48/6.
Huzaifa Syed offered the strongest resistance, scoring 42 from 39 balls with three fours and a six.
His dismissal to Zata left Old Hararians on 82/8 in the 16th over, but Natsai Mushangwe and Alex Falao added useful late runs.
Mushangwe struck 19 from 15 deliveries, while Falao finished unbeaten on 20 from 17 balls to push the total to 123/9.
The target appeared manageable, although Gladiators’ reply quickly showed how dangerous knockout cricket can become.
Lennox Chando, one of their leading performers throughout the tournament, was bowled by Falao for a six-ball duck in the opening over.
Panashe Taruvinga made 17 from 12 balls before falling to Wallace Mubayiwa, leaving the champions on 31/2.
Naison Mare and Shumba steadied the innings with a 38-run third-wicket partnership.
Mare contributed 25 from 30 deliveries, while Shumba struck 32 from 24 balls, including a four and a six.
Their efforts carried Gladiators towards the target, but Old Hararians refused to surrender.
Mare fell at 69, and Shumba’s dismissal at 99/4 in the 14th over was followed two balls later by Brendon Sunguro’s departure without scoring.
Both wickets went to Ahsan Aqil Ali, whose figures of 2/17 from four overs gave Old Hararians renewed hope.
Munyonga added 19 from 18 deliveries, but when Luke Jongwe bowled him with the score on 116/6 in the 17th over, Gladiators still required eight runs.
Owen Muzondo and Vhezha completed the chase.
Muzondo finished unbeaten on eight from 13 balls, while Vhezha added five not out from five deliveries as the champions reached their target with 11 balls remaining.
Vhezha’s contribution followed his unbeaten 42 against Queens Sports Club in Gladiators’ final league match on Wednesday.
Against Queens, his batting helped the champions post a competitive total. Against Old Hararians, his bowling laid the foundation for victory.
Chando also reached a personal milestone, completing 150 catches, while his work behind the stumps included three catches and a stumping.
Gladiators now turn their attention to Rimuka, who entered the knockout stages among the competition’s strongest performers but lost to Rangers on Thursday.
Friday’s meeting offers no second chance for either side.
