BY SPORTSCAST WRITER
WINDHOEK – The slide continues for Zimbabwe’s cricket team after the Namibia handed them a seven wicket defeat in the opening match of the T20 World Cup qualifiers for Africa in Windhoek on Wednesday.
Zimbabwe, an ICC full member, last month succumbed to its second successive series defeat to associate member Namibia to reach a new low in the nation’s cricket history.
Now the Chevrons are back in the Windhoek where they will battle it out for the continent’s two qualification slots for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the West Indies and the United States.
On Wednesday, Zimbabwe could only total 132-8, as veteran batter Craig Ervine topped with 36 runs. Ryan Burl scored 27 while Sikandar Raza – leading for the first time as substantive captain – had 20.
Namibia eased home with 32 balls to spare after openers Nikolaas Davin (89) and Michael va Lingen (30) set the foundation the comfortable chase.
The Zimbabweans now have all to do in their next matches against Tanzania, Uganda, Rwanda, Nigeria and Kenya.
More slip-ups will be catastrophic for Zimbabwe, whose long-suffering fans have threatened to boycott a white-ball home series with Ireland early December if the Chevrons’ awful run of form in Namibia continues and fail to qualify for the T20 World Cup.
