The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda, Senior Sports Reporter
ZIMBABWE go out in search of their ever Twenty20 International series win over Bangladesh when the two teams collide in the third and final T20I at Harare Sports Club this afternoon.
A win by 23 runs on Friday in the second T20I saw Zimbabwe level three-match 1-1 and now the home team stands a chance to take the series should they floor the Tigers this afternoon. Wesley Madhevere was outstanding with the bat when the former Zimbabwe Under-19 star hammered 73 off 57 deliveries, with the in-form Ryan Burl contributing an unbeaten 34 as the home team posted 166/6 in 20 overs.
Brilliant work with ball in hand from the Zimbabwean bowlers saw them blow away Bangladesh for 143 in 19.5 overs.
Left arm spinner, Wellington Masakadza, a player under heavy scrutiny over the years since he has failed to justify his continued selection was outstanding with three wickets for 20 runs in his four overs to go with the three catches he took. Pace bowler Luke Jongwe also picked up three wickets, which came at the expense of 31 runs in 3.5 overs.
In that win, Zimbabwe recorded the first ever instance of multiple fielders picking three plus catches in a men’s T20I innings. Masakadza and captain for this series, Sikandar Raza held on to three catches in the win against Bangladesh.
Zimbabwe will look to build on that win on Friday as they search for their maiden series success over Bangladesh in the shortest format of the game.
Meanwhile, Zimbabwe Cricket are now waiting for new dates from their Cricket Ireland counterparts for Zimbabwe’s tour. Last Thursday, Cricket Ireland announced that Zimbabwe’s visit to the European country had been rescheduled due to the fact that Zimbabwe is on the United Kingdom’s red listed countries in terms of Covid-19, which means the Zimbabwean team has to go into 10 days quarantine on arrival in Ireland, which increase expenses for Cricket Ireland. Zimbabwe were meant to leave for Ireland on 1 August but that is no longer the case.
ZC managing director, Givemore Makoni said Cricket Ireland were now looking at ways to get around the mandatory quarantine requirement. Zimbabwe are taking on Ireland in three One Day Internationals, with the ODIs being part of the International Cricket Council Super League and the same number of T20Is.
“The tour has been postponed, they are redoing the schedule, the tour is still taking place in August, we are waiting for new dates from Cricket Ireland who are now exploring ways of making sure that we are not required to go into quarantine because that increases expenses on their part,’’ said Makoni.
From Ireland, Zimbabwe have three T20Is lined up against Scotland. The rescheduling of the Ireland tour means that the dates for the matches against Scotland also have to be changed. — @Mdawini_29
