ZIM VS NAM T20I

A quick turnaround awaits the two teams, with the first two games of the series scheduled on back-to-back days. The second T20I will be played here in Bulawayo on Tuesday, 16th September. It will start a bit later than the series opener, with the first ball at 11.30 am GMT. Namibia will look to take the series to a decider, while Zimbabwe will aim to put the series to bed. If you are craving more action for the day, you are in luck. It is a double-header day in the Asia Cup, with UAE facing Oman at 12 pm GMT, followed by Sri Lanka taking on Hong Kong, China at 2.30 pm GMT. You can follow all the action on the respective match centres. Cheers!

Brian Bennett is the PLAYER OF THE MATCH for his superb knock of 94 runs off 51 balls. His knock included 8 fours and 4 sixes.

Earlier, after being asked to bat first, Brian Bennett and Tadiwanashe Marumani provided Zimbabwe with the ideal foundation through a 124-run opening stand. The openers were watchful in the early stages before Marumani found his rhythm. That allowed Bennett to settle into his groove, and soon the runs began to flow from both ends. Marumani departed, but Bennett carried on before falling for 94. The big opening stand laid the perfect platform for Ryan Burl and Sikandar Raza, whose cameos powered Zimbabwe to 211.

From there, Raza and Masakadza tightened the screws and pushed up the required run rate. The tourists struggled to find the big overs they needed to keep the chase on track, and while Ruben Trumpelmann briefly flickered hope for Namibia, his departure proved the final nail in the coffin. For Zimbabwe, Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani were carted around a bit, but Wellington Masakadza was the most economical, going for under six runs per over on a batting-friendly surface.

212 may have seemed daunting, but it was very much a gettable total on this surface, where batters could hit through the line. Namibia’s hopes rested on a strong start, and they delivered with 61 runs in the Powerplay thanks to Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton and Jan Frylinck. Zimbabwe looked listless until Sikandar Raza took matters into his own hands to break the flourishing stand. One brought two, as Wellington Masakadza struck in the very next over, leaving Namibia to rebuild with two new batters at the crease.

Zimbabwe draw first blood! A win set up by the batting unit for the hosts. With the ball, they were not quite at their best, but the cushion provided by the batters was more than enough to see them over the line. Namibia made a decent fist of the chase, and it was encouraging to see them play smart rather than go hell for leather, especially in the Powerplay, by picking the gaps. Had either Jan Nicol Loftie-Eaton or Jan Frylinck batted deeper, the result could have been very different.

This is full and around off, Alexander Volschenk shows his wrist work and hits it to deep square leg for a couple. Zimbabwe win by 33 runs.

On a good length and on middle, Dylan Leicher works it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

FOUR! Bowls a well-directed bouncer near the helmet. Dylan Leicher pulls it to the left of deep square leg and beats the diving effort from the man there.

Short in length and around off, pulled to deep mid-wicket for a single.

DROPPED! Sikandar Raza puts it down! Touch fuller and outside off. Dylan Leicher looks to work it across but top edges it to mid off where Raza runs in and dives but fails to hold on. A single.

Starts with a full toss, around the fourth stump line. Dylan Leicher hits it straight to mid off.

Short of a length and around off, pulled to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Well bowled! Bowls the off-cutter, outside off and deceives Dylan Leicher who is through to the shot but fails to connect.

FOUR! Much needed! This is full and tailing on middle. Dylan Leicher steps across the line and scoops it to fine leg for a boundary.

A good length ball, outside off. Alexander Volschenk punches it to deep point for a single.

Alexander Volschenk is the new man in.