ROYALS Cricket Club were crowned champions of the Heliz T10 Invitational after beating a valiant Uhuru Cricket Club in an entertaining decider at Old Hararians Sports Club
The six-team tournament produced drama, resurgence and fresh talent but above all it introduced a player who captured the weekend, Liam Mudenda.
The tournament had a prize pool of about US$2000, which was shared between the winners, losing finalists and the third placed team.
Royals’ balance across batting and bowling proved decisive in the short, frenetic format, while Uhuru’s run to the final showcased grit and depth across the competition.
If the Heliz T10 had a single heartbeat, it belonged to Mudenda. He finished the Invitational as both batter and player of the tournament. Crisp timing, an impressive range of shots and a calm temperament under pressure marked his innings throughout the tournament and it was a pity that his exploits could not take his team Manyame Heliz to the final.
Mudenda had turned heads earlier with strong school performances in South Africa but had narrowly missed selection for the Zimbabwe Under-19 side, many spectators saw him for the first time during this tournament, and he answered emphatically.
The former St Stithians student, Mudenda, scored 325 runs in six innings at an average of 65 runs, striking it at 235 and with a top score of 84 runs.
“It feels amazing to have the opportunity and to repay the faith shown in me. I was a bit rusty not having played a lot of cricket leading up to the tournament,” Mudenda said after the final. “I’ve always worked hard and this stage was a chance to show what I can do. I’m grateful to my teammates and coaches — this is just the start.”
The Invitational was also a celebration of cricket’s continuity. Several recently retired players turned back the clock with classy displays, reminding fans that experience still matters in short formats.
Unknown batter, Tafadzwa Mahachi of Uhuru was the second best run scorer with 200 runs averaging 47.
Samuel Muyambo who narrowly lost to Mudenda for the player of the tournament gong was the leading wicketaker with nine wickets and scored third on the batting charts with 164 runs.
Former Under-19 players also put up mature, match-defining contributions, demonstrating the value of youth pathways in producing ready-made talent.
Event organisers fronted by Shane Nsikane were satisfied with the quality of the tournament.
“We designed the Heliz T10 to create meaningful competitive opportunities at club level,” said the tournament director. “Seeing retired players shine, former Under-19s mature and new names emerge tells us we are on the right track. The standard of cricket exceeded our expectations and reaffirmed the importance of investing in club competitions.”
Sponsors led by Aakarshit Madaan the Chief Executive Officer of Batball, described the inaugural Heliz T10 Invitational as an encouraging success. Batball operates in six countries.
"As CEO of Batball which commercialises cricket for Associates, we got an opportunity to work with Manyame Heliz Cricket Club in hosting their invitation T10 which they generally do to give players game time during the off Season. They wanted us to back them and I saw an opportunity to sponsor. This event was something that was backed by us and our partners" he said.
The sponsors confirmed they are considering making the event annual and expanding to other cities including Bulawayo and Mutare — moves they say will broaden access to competitive cricket and uncover more talent.
"This is not a one-off thing. We are looking at spreading our wings to Bulawayo and Mutare so that we can show Zimbabwe cricket to the world. Through the Livestream we provided, players would get visibility across the world that they would not generally get. You never know who is watching, maybe someone from Mumbai Indians or Melbourne Renegades. Everyone is in a rat trying to get the best talent around the world. What is better than watching? Seeing is believing."