News / National
Zimbabwe thrashed by 107 runs
7 hrs ago |
52 Views
Zimbabwe's unbeaten run at the ICC T20 World Cup came to a crushing halt yesterday as the Chevrons were comprehensively beaten by 107 runs by the West Indies cricket team at Wankhede Stadium in India.
Winning the toss, Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza elected to bowl - a decision that backfired as the West Indies posted a mammoth 254/6 in 20 overs, exploiting the short boundaries and a batting-friendly pitch.
Shimron Hetmyer was the star of the match, smashing 85 off 34 balls, including seven sixes and seven fours. He shared a 112-run third-wicket partnership with Rovman Powell the game out of Zimbabwe's reach. Contributions from Sherfane Rutherford (31*) and Romario Shepherd (21) helped maintain a relentless strike rate.
Zimbabwe's bowlers struggled under pressure. Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani each took two wickets, but conceded 11.75 and 10.5 runs per over respectively. Raza and Dion Myers were dispatched for 52 and 19 runs in their limited overs, while Brad Evans and Graeme Cremer's efforts yielded little, with figures of 46 and 38 runs off four overs each.
Chasing 255, Zimbabwe's batting lineup faltered from the outset. Top-order failures saw six batters dismissed for single-digit scores, including ducks for Tashinga Musekiwa and Cremer. Brad Evans led a late fightback with 43 off 21 balls, forming a record 10th-wicket partnership of 44 runs with Ngarava, surpassing the previous Men's T20 World Cup Zimbabwe record set by Ray Price and Greg Lamb.
West Indies spinner Gudakesh Motie was the most effective bowler for his side, taking 4/28, while Akeal Hosein claimed 3/22, keeping Zimbabwe's recovery in check.
Raza acknowledged the heavy defeat but remained focused on the lessons learned. "Even though we are bruised, we will look to win and earn respect. Both teams have lost, and we will try and be better," he said. He added that the team must adapt quickly for their next challenges against India and South Africa, with semi-final qualification requiring wins in both remaining games.
Zimbabwe now turns its attention to Thursday's crucial Super 8 match against India national cricket team, before concluding the group stage against South Africa on March 1.
Winning the toss, Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza elected to bowl - a decision that backfired as the West Indies posted a mammoth 254/6 in 20 overs, exploiting the short boundaries and a batting-friendly pitch.
Shimron Hetmyer was the star of the match, smashing 85 off 34 balls, including seven sixes and seven fours. He shared a 112-run third-wicket partnership with Rovman Powell the game out of Zimbabwe's reach. Contributions from Sherfane Rutherford (31*) and Romario Shepherd (21) helped maintain a relentless strike rate.
Zimbabwe's bowlers struggled under pressure. Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani each took two wickets, but conceded 11.75 and 10.5 runs per over respectively. Raza and Dion Myers were dispatched for 52 and 19 runs in their limited overs, while Brad Evans and Graeme Cremer's efforts yielded little, with figures of 46 and 38 runs off four overs each.
West Indies spinner Gudakesh Motie was the most effective bowler for his side, taking 4/28, while Akeal Hosein claimed 3/22, keeping Zimbabwe's recovery in check.
Raza acknowledged the heavy defeat but remained focused on the lessons learned. "Even though we are bruised, we will look to win and earn respect. Both teams have lost, and we will try and be better," he said. He added that the team must adapt quickly for their next challenges against India and South Africa, with semi-final qualification requiring wins in both remaining games.
Zimbabwe now turns its attention to Thursday's crucial Super 8 match against India national cricket team, before concluding the group stage against South Africa on March 1.
Source - The Herald
Join the discussion
Loading comments…
