WINDHOEK – In the opening match of Zimbabwe’s five-match T20I tour of Namibia, the hosts won the contest by seven wickets at the Wanderers Cricket Ground on Tuesday.
The visitors, Zimbabwe, won the toss and elected to bat first, setting a target for Namibia.
Zimbabwe struggled to find their footing in the early stages of the innings. Nick Welch and Craig Ervine both fell for ducks, and the top order faced significant pressure. Sikandar Raza, with a resilient 39 runs off 35 deliveries, helped stabilise the innings. Contributions from Wessly Madhevere (22) and Luke Jongwe (22) pushed Zimbabwe’s total to 121-9 in their 20 overs.
Namibia’s bowlers put up an impressive performance, with Gerhard Erasmus leading the way with three wickets. The wickets were shared among the bowlers, creating constant pressure on the Zimbabwean batting line-up.
In reply, Namibia’s chase got off to a steady start, with Michael van Lingen and Nikolaas Davin at the crease. Davin emerged as the star of the match, playing a sensational innings of 80 runs off 44 balls, which included eight fours and four sixes. His brilliant performance ensured that Namibia achieved the target comfortably.
Namibia reached the target in just 13.4 overs, finishing at 122-3. This comprehensive victory was a testament to their batting prowess, with Davin leading the way.
For Zimbabwe, Richard Ngarava was the most successful bowler, taking two wickets. However, the total posted by Zimbabwe was not enough to defend against Namibia’s strong batting performance.
In the end, it was Namibia that emerged victorious, winning the match by seven wickets. Niko Davin’s explosive batting display earned him the ‘Player of the Match’ award. – Namibian Agencies
