Zimbabwe overcame Uganda by five wickets in an ICC Africa T20 Qualifiers contest that combined moments of brilliance with tight, disciplined cricket on Friday at Harare Sports Club
Uganda, winning the toss, chose to bat first. They started with confidence, with Sumeet Verma taking charge early. The right-hander cut and drove with precision, bringing up 45 off just 32 balls, including a towering four sixes that lifted Uganda’s run rate. Captain Riazat Ali played a quick 35 off 24 deliveries, rotating strike and hitting boundaries at regular intervals. For a brief period, it seemed Uganda could post a challenging total.
However, Zimbabwe’s bowlers had other ideas. Blessing Muzarabani moved sharply with the ball and claimed three crucial wickets. Bradley Evans came in with clever variations in pace and also grabbed three scalps, keeping the scoreboard under control.
Richard Ngarava provided timely breakthroughs, dismissing both Ali and Alpesh Ramjani cheaply.
As a result, Uganda’s innings slowed in the middle overs, and despite some late hitting, they could only manage 152 for nine in their allotted 20 overs.
Zimbabwe’s reply was explosive from the outset with their opener Brian Bennett setting the tone, charging down the pitch and finding gaps with clinical precision.
He raced to his half-century in just 29 balls, striking nine boundaries and three sixes. His partner, veteran Brendan Taylor, provided measured support, ensuring Zimbabwe maintained momentum while minimising risk.
The powerplay overs saw Zimbabwe rack up 59 runs for the loss of a single wicket, with Bennett dominating the strike and Taylor rotating expertly. Even as wickets fell in the middle overs, Zimbabwe’s chase never wavered. The pair’s running between the wickets, combined with aggressive shot selection, kept the required run rate in check.
Brian Bennett’s innings ended at 72 off 44 balls, and Taylor contributed a lively 39 off 27 deliveries. Key contributions down the order from Sikander Raza and Tony Munyonga helped close out the innings. Zimbabwe reached 157 for 5 in just 17.3 overs, sealing a five-wicket victory with 15 balls to spare.
