BY KEVIN MAPASURE IN BULAWAYO SIKANDAR Raza clobbered 82 runs from just 40 balls to help set up a 46-run win for the Zimbabwe national team over United States of America (USA) as the hosts enhanced their chances of qualifying for the T-20 World Cup in Australia next year.
Zimbabwe set an imposing total of 185 runs after winning the toss and Raza led the way with another man-of-the-match performance.
The USA managed 139 for 8 in 20 overs.
With the win, Zimbabwe finished top of Group A and face Papua New Guinea in the semifinal today in which a win would clinch them a ticket to Australia.
Zimbabwe were hungry for of a win to try and avoid facing Netherlands.
It is the USA who will face Netherlands in the other semifinal this afternoon.
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Raza’s entertaining innings featured seven fours and five maximums which kept the colourful and appreciative crowd on their feet.
Sean Williams also made a good contribution with 37 from 35 while Regis Chakabva (31) laid the foundations.
Nisarg Patel was the pick of the bowlers in the visitors’ side with 2 for 24 while Aaron Jones had 2 for 37.
Jones’ figures could have made a much better reading had it not been of the final over where he conceded 26 runs, including three sixes by Raza.
It was, however, not an easy affair for Zimbabwe as USA made a flying start in their reply putting 50 runs in the first five overs which was a bit of a scare.
The Craig Ervine-captained side got a firm grip on the match when wickets started to tumble after the power play.
Zimbabwe were rewarded with the first wicket after Richard Ngarava, coming in to replace the injured Tendai Chatara, dismissed Monank Patel (17) caught by Williams.
With USA on top of the situation, Zimbabwe needed something special and Milton Shumba provided that with a brilliant diving catch to get rid of Jones who had scored seven runs.
Shumba was back to make another catch to get rid of the big fish Steven Taylor (46) who was threatening a half century.
Things were going downhill for the USA as Wellington Masakadza helped himself to another scalp after he rearranged Jastran Malhotra’s castle for five runs.
Masakadza proved to be the toast for Zimbabwe, claiming the wickets of Gajanand Singh (4) and Marty Kain (18) both caught by Ryan Burl.
He finished with figures of 4 for 11 in three overs while Ngarava, Williams, Burl and Jongwe had a wicket each.
Zimbabwe Team
Regis Chakabva, Craig Ervine, Sean Williams, Innocent Kaia, Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Luke Jongwe, Milton Shumba, Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani.
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