News / National
Zimbabwe's Chevrons humiliated by Namibia
31 Oct 2023 at 01:31hrs | Views
The national cricket team faced a devastating series defeat against underdog Namibia, losing the fifth and final T20 International by eight runs while chasing a modest target of 102 at the United Sports Ground in Windhoek yesterday.
In a shocking turn of events, Zimbabwe was at 93/7, needing just nine runs with three wickets in hand and seven balls remaining. However, they lost all those wickets without adding a single run, marking one of their worst-ever T20I performances. The number eight batsman, Luke Jongwe, was the top scorer with 24 runs from 16 balls before being run out, epitomizing another dismal batting performance for the Chevrons during a crucial moment.
This victory allowed Namibia to secure a 3-2 series win over Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwean side had previously led 2-1 with two matches remaining. Interestingly, it was the first time in the series that the team batting first emerged victorious.
Johannes Jonathan Smit, who claimed three wickets for 14 runs in four overs, was named the player of the match. He had earlier scored 29 runs from 28 balls, showcasing an all-around performance.
With this win, Namibia now holds a 6-4 advantage over Zimbabwe in T20I matches, following a similar 3-2 series win in Bulawayo last year.
This result is reminiscent of Zimbabwe's performance in the 50-over ICC World Cup qualifiers in June when they had to beat lowly Scotland to secure a spot in the finals in India. Unfortunately, Zimbabwe experienced a batting collapse, resulting in a loss of a match that appeared to be theirs midway through.
In yesterday's game, Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to field, believing that the previous four matches in the series had all been won by the chasing team. However, the Chevrons' top-order faltered, losing four wickets for only 12 runs during the powerplay, which included the captain, Craig Ervine (who scored a duck), Sikandar Raza (two runs from 10 balls), and Wesley Madhevere (four from four balls).
Despite the manageable target and the game's importance, Zimbabwe couldn't form significant partnerships to secure the win, and Namibia ultimately achieved their second series win over a Test-playing nation, with Zimbabwe as the defeated team on both occasions.
The series was part of the preparations for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier 2023, taking place in Namibia from November 20 to December 1. The other participating countries in the final qualifying event for Africa are Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. The top two teams from this regional tournament will secure their spots in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States of America. However, the Chevrons' chances may be dimmed following their recent performance.
In a shocking turn of events, Zimbabwe was at 93/7, needing just nine runs with three wickets in hand and seven balls remaining. However, they lost all those wickets without adding a single run, marking one of their worst-ever T20I performances. The number eight batsman, Luke Jongwe, was the top scorer with 24 runs from 16 balls before being run out, epitomizing another dismal batting performance for the Chevrons during a crucial moment.
This victory allowed Namibia to secure a 3-2 series win over Zimbabwe. The Zimbabwean side had previously led 2-1 with two matches remaining. Interestingly, it was the first time in the series that the team batting first emerged victorious.
Johannes Jonathan Smit, who claimed three wickets for 14 runs in four overs, was named the player of the match. He had earlier scored 29 runs from 28 balls, showcasing an all-around performance.
This result is reminiscent of Zimbabwe's performance in the 50-over ICC World Cup qualifiers in June when they had to beat lowly Scotland to secure a spot in the finals in India. Unfortunately, Zimbabwe experienced a batting collapse, resulting in a loss of a match that appeared to be theirs midway through.
In yesterday's game, Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to field, believing that the previous four matches in the series had all been won by the chasing team. However, the Chevrons' top-order faltered, losing four wickets for only 12 runs during the powerplay, which included the captain, Craig Ervine (who scored a duck), Sikandar Raza (two runs from 10 balls), and Wesley Madhevere (four from four balls).
Despite the manageable target and the game's importance, Zimbabwe couldn't form significant partnerships to secure the win, and Namibia ultimately achieved their second series win over a Test-playing nation, with Zimbabwe as the defeated team on both occasions.
The series was part of the preparations for the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Qualifier 2023, taking place in Namibia from November 20 to December 1. The other participating countries in the final qualifying event for Africa are Kenya, Nigeria, Rwanda, Tanzania, and Uganda. The top two teams from this regional tournament will secure their spots in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup 2024, co-hosted by the West Indies and the United States of America. However, the Chevrons' chances may be dimmed following their recent performance.
Source - The Herald
