Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza plays a shot during the one-day international match against Sri Lanka in Kandy January 18, 2022. By Ishara S. KODIKARA (AFP)
Sikandar Raza hit 87 off 40 balls as hosts Zimbabwe beat Singapore by 111 runs on Monday to get their bid to qualify for the 2020 World Cup in Australia off to a flying start.
After losing the toss, Zimbabwe posted 236-5 in 20 overs with Raza, Sean Williams (53) and skipper Craig Ervin (34) the leading run-makers at the Queens Sports Club in the southern city of Bulawayo.
Singapore never looked like matching the home side's run-rate and were just 125-7 with the unbeaten Janak Prakash (32) top-scoring and Surendran Chandramohan (21) the only other major contributors.
Tendai Chatara (3-14) and Blessing Muzarabani (2-21) have been the most successful bowlers for Zimbabwe as they seek a sixth appearance in the T20 World Cup tournament.
Zimbabwe's new coach and former star batsman Dave Houghton has called for exciting positive cricket from the side that lost the series 3-0 to hosts Afghanistan in both white-ball formats last month.
Pakistan-born right-hander Raza, who batted at number five, heeded the rallying cry with a man-of-the-match performance that included five sixes and eight fours.
"It was a great start. The coach emphasized the need to not only start the tournament well but also finish it well. Our aim is to qualify for Australia," Raza said.
“We want the other seven teams to know that we are committed to securing one of the two qualification places on offer and I think we have done that really well.
"The win over Singapore is now history. The focus of my teammates and I has already shifted to tomorrow's game against Jersey."
Taylor ton for the US
A United States side including former South African fast bowler Rusty Theron beat Jersey by eight wickets in the second Group A encounter.
Jersey, one of four contenders in Bulawayo hoping to make it to the T20 World Cup for the first time, made it 154-5 from 20 overs.
Batting at number three, Asa Tribe hit an unbeaten 73, including six sixes, for Jersey, a small London-ruled island between England and France.
USA surpassed that total by reaching 159-2 with 11 balls to spare with opener Steven Taylor (101 not out) playing. He faced 55 balls and hit five sixes and 12 fours.
If Zimbabwe beat Jersey and the USA beat Singapore on Tuesday, both will book a semi-final spot, leaving the hosts and the Americans to battle it out for top spot in the group on Thursday.
Four-time qualifiers Netherlands lived up to their place as Group B favorites with a 52-round victory over Papua New Guinea.
The Dutch won the toss and posted 163-7 with Stephan Myburgh (39) top scorer while Semo Kamea and Charles Amini took two wickets each for the Pacific.
Papua New Guinea were all out for 111 in 19.4 overs, never reaching the Netherlands' run rate. Sese Bau (35) was the only batsman to impress, while Logan van Beek (3-17) was the pick of the Dutch bowlers.
In the same group, Uganda surprised Hong Kong with a low-scoring two-wicket win. The Africans replied with 87-9 to reach 88-8 after the third ball of the final over.
Wins for the Netherlands over Hong Kong and Uganda against Papua New Guinea on Tuesday will ensure progress to the semi-finals.
Finalists Bulawayo will join 14 other nations at the T20 World Cup in Australia from October 16.
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