Sikandar Raza of Zimbabwe performs a shot for the duration of a one-day global towards Sri Lanka in Kandy on January 18, 2022.. By Ishara S. KODIKARA (AFP)
Sikandar Raza struck 87 off forty balls as hosts Zimbabwe defeated Singapore with the aid of using 111 runs on Monday to make a brilliant begin of their bid to qualify for the 2022 Twenty20 World Cup in Australia.
Put into bat after dropping the toss, Zimbabwe published 236-five in 20 overs with Raza, Sean Williams (53) and captain Craig Ervine (34) the main run makers at Queens Sports Club in southern metropolis Bulawayo.
Singapore in no way seemed like matching the run fee of the house crew and controlled simply 125-7 with unbeaten Janak Prakash (32) pinnacle scoring and Surendran Chandramohan (21) the most effective different contributor of note.
Tendai Chatara (3-14) and Blessing Muzarabani (2-21) have been the maximum a success bowlers for Zimbabwe, who're searching for a 6th T20 World Cup event appearance.
New Zimbabwe instruct and previous supermegacelebrity batsman Dave Houghton had referred to as for exciting, fantastic cricket from a crew that closing month suffered 3-zero collection losses to traveling Afghanistan in each white-ball formats.
Batting at quantity 5, Pakistan-born right-hander Raza heeded the rallying cry with a man-of-the-healthy overall performance that protected 5 sixes and 8 fours.
"This become a brilliant begin. The instruct has emphasized the want to now no longer most effective begin the event properly however end it similarly properly. Our intention is to qualify for Australia," stated Raza.
"We need the opposite seven groups to recognize that we're decided to stable one of the qualifying locations on provide and I suppose we did that in reality properly.
"The win over Singapore is records now. The recognition of my teammates and I has already shifted to the healthy towards Jersey tomorrow."
Taylor ton for USA
A United States facet which includes former South Africa rapid bowler Rusty Theron defeated Jersey with the aid of using 8 wickets withinside the different Group A clash.
Jersey, one in all 4 contenders in Bulawayo hoping to attain the T20 World Cup for the primary time, made 154-five off 20 overs.
Batting at quantity three, Asa Tribe struck an unbeaten 73, which includes six sixes, for Jersey, a tiny London-dominated island among England and France.
The USA handed that general with the aid of using achieving 159-2 with eleven balls to spare and opener Steven Taylor (a hundred and one now no longer out) starred. He confronted fifty five balls and fired 5 sixes and 12 fours.
If Zimbabwe beat Jersey and the united states defeat Singapore on Tuesday each will stable semi-finals locations, leaving the hosts and the Americans to combat for first area withinside the organization on Thursday.
Four-time qualifiers the Netherlands lived as much as their billing as Group B favourites with a 52-run victory over Papua New Guinea.
The Dutch gained the toss and published 163-7 with Stephan Myburgh (39) pinnacle scoring even as Semo Kamea and Charles Amini took wickets every for the Pacific islanders.
Papua New Guinea have been all out for 111 in 19.four overs having in no way matched the Netherlands run fee. Sese Bau (35) become the most effective batsman to electrify even as Logan van Beek (3-17) become the select out of the Dutch bowlers.
Uganda amazed Hong Kong withinside the identical organization, triumphing with the aid of using wickets in a low scoring affair. Replying to 87-9, the Africans reached 88-eight off the 1/3 ball of the very last over.
Wins for the Netherlands over Hong Kong and Uganda towards Papua New Guinea on Tuesday will seal semi-finals locations.
The Bulawayo finalists will be a part of 14 different countries on the T20 World Cup in Australia from October 16.