THE Zimbabwe Chevrons began their T20i World Cup Africa qualification campaign with a commanding performance, crushing Kenya by nine wickets in a warm-up match at Takashinga Cricket Club in Harare yesterday.
The dominant victory, achieved in just 13 overs, sends a clear message to the other seven teams competing for the two coveted spots in the global showpiece.
Kenya’s batting line-up struggled from the start, failing to build momentum against Zimbabwe’s disciplined bowling attack.
They were ultimately restricted to a meagre 96 for 8 in their 20 overs.
Rakep Patel was the lone bright spot for the visitors, top-scoring with 24 runs off 25 balls.
However, his efforts were not enough to challenge the Chevrons.
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Zimbabwe’s bowlers delivered a masterclass in control and aggression.
Seamer Brad Evans was the star of the show, earning the Man of the Match award for his impressive figures of 3 for 26 in four overs.
Richard Ngarava also contributed significantly, taking two wickets for 19 runs.
Veteran Blessing Muzarabani was exceptionally frugal, conceding only six runs and taking a wicket in his four overs.
Their combined pressure was simply too much for the Kenyan batsmen.
In pursuit of the modest target, Zimbabwe’s batsmen wasted no time.
They got off to a blistering start, reaching 51 runs within the six-over powerplay.
Opener Brian Bennett led the charge with a quickfire 33 runs from 25 balls before retiring to give others a chance.
The only wicket to fall was that of fellow opener Tadiwanashe Marumani, who was caught for 14 runs.
The experienced duo of Brendan Taylor (20) and Sean Williams (21) then calmly guided the team to victory, finishing the job with 7.4 overs to spare.
The Chevrons reached 100 for 1, showcasing their batting depth and readiness for the main event.
This decisive warm-up victory sets a confident tone for Zimbabwe as they prepare for the T20 World Cup Qualifier Africa tournament.
The competition, which runs from September 26 to October 4 in Harare, will see eight African nations battle it out for two qualification spots.