Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter
MUTARE is set to come alive when the Eastern Highlands city hosts the 2024/25 Pro50 Championship final featuring home side Mega Market Mountaineers and Rhinos at Mutare Sports Club today.
The two teams secured their places in the final of Zimbabwe’s premier provincial one-day tournament after finishing first and second respectively on the round-robin points table.
Mountaineers emerged as the top side in the competition, winning five of their eight matches and losing the other three to finish atop the standings with 10 points while Rhinos were just one point behind after winning four games and losing three.
One of their encounters was abandoned due to rain.
Rhinos will be hoping to redeem themselves after they lost last year’s final to Eagles while Mountaineers will be looking at completing a domestic double following their successful campaign in the Logan Cup, which saw them successfully defend the four-day title.
In an interview with Zimpapers Sports Hub ahead of today’s final, Mountaineers head coach Stuart Matsikenyeri, is confident that his side will be able to cross the line and bag yet another title in what would have been a successful 2024/25 domestic season.
Matsikenyeri said they are going into the final with a full strength squad.
“It has been a good season for us and our preparations for the final have been good. We have played a lot of cricket and we go into this final with a fully fit squad, all the players are ready for selection. Our goal was to reach the final and play good cricket. It’s going to be a tight game.
“We have won the Logan Cup but as cricketers we will never be satisfied at the end, so we want to make it a double without a doubt. It will be a good final with two strong teams keen to perform to their best,” said Matsikenyeri.
A carnival atmosphere is expected at Mutare Sports Club as local fans rally behind Mountaineers in their quest for silverware, while Rhinos will be looking to go one better than last season. To enhance the spectacle, Zimbabwe Cricket announced that spectators will be granted free entry into the ground, in an effort to ensure a packed venue for the highly anticipated showdown.
Matsikenyeri also called on fans to come in numbers.
“We are lucky to have had so much support throughout the season from our fans, we have a good set of fans. They have never failed to support the team. I call on all fans to come out in numbers and rally behind the boys,” he said.
With the Logan Cup done and the Pro50 Championship coming to an end today, next up on the domestic calendar is the T20 tournament. — @brandon_malvin
