ZIMBABWE looks set to miss out on next year’s ICC Men’s T20 World Cup to be co-hosted by West Indies and USA after Uganda grounded out a win against Kenya in Windhoek, Namibia, yesterday.
The Chevrons, who beat Nigeria by six wickets earlier in the day, needed Kenya to beat Uganda in the afternoon match to keep their hopes of qualifying to the T20 World Cup alive.
However, Uganda made light work of Kenya, winning by 33 runs after the former chose to bat first and posted a total of 162/5 in their 20 overs.
Kenya were bowled out for 129 runs with six balls remaining.
Uganda now have the simplest of tasks of beating Rwanda this morning to join hosts Namibia in qualifying for the World Cup, while Zimbabwe sweat it out against Kenya in their final match of the ICC Men’s Cricket T20 World Cup Qualifier Africa.
The Chevrons also failed to qualify for the 50 overs World Cup that was played in India recently after going down to Sri Lanka and Scotland during the qualifiers hosted in Harare and Bulawayo.
An all-round performance with bat and ball by captain Sikandar Raza helped Zimbabwe to make light work of Nigeria, winning by six wickets
Raza first took two wickets for 13 runs in three overs to help Zimbabwe restrict the West Africans to 110 runs for the loss of nine wickets in their allotted overs after they had won the toss and elected to bat.
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Blessing Muzarabani was unplayable, taking one wicket for 12 runs in his three overs, while Richard Ngarava chipped in with two wickets in his four overs.
The Nigerian innings never got going in their first ever match against a Test-playing nation.
Ridwan Kareem top scored for the West Africans with 24 runs from 32 balls.
Raza, who has been Zimbabwe’s batting mainstay, opened the batting for the second successive game, bringing the much-needed impetus at the top of the order.
The Zimbabwe skipper was undeterred by the loss of his partner, Tadiwanashe Marumani for a five-ball duck.
He continued to take the attack to Nigeria knowing fully that if certain results go Zimbabwe’s way, it would come down to the net run rate.
Raza was at the crease for about six overs but left behind him a trail of destruction as he scored 65 from 37 balls.
His knock included four boundaries and seven towering sixes to leave the sparse crowd in attendance well entertained.
