Sikandar Raza Led Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers Win Zim Afro T10 Season 2 After Thrilling Final

young Zimbabwean fast bowler Tinashe Muchawaya produced a bowling performance that would be remembered for quite a long as he snatched win for Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers from jaws of defeat against Cape Town Samp Army. Tigers, who were captained by Sikandar Raza, were staring at defeat, before Muchawaya turned it around in final four deliveries, to give Tigers Zim Afro T10 title, at Harare Sports Club.

Asked to bat first, Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers’ openers were out of blocks at good pace. Kusal Perera and Mohamm Shahz took attack to Cape Town Samp Army bowlers, and were finding boundaries with relative ease.

two openers raced away to a half-century stand, ding 59 in less than four overs, before Sri Lankan departed for 33 from 11 deliveries when Qais Ahmed trapped him LBW. big-hitting Shahz, who scored a match-winning half-century in Qualifier 1, was still in middle and w h Hazratullah Zazai, who walked in at one-drop, for company. At five-over mark, Tigers were cruising along at 60/1.

Qais bowled a tight second over after that as Tigers slowed down a t bit, before Shahz and Zazai started to up ante against Salman Irsh in seventh over, which produced 18 runs. Amir Hotak n h Zazai caught at cow corner for 19, and that brought to middle, crowd favourite and captain Sikandar Raza. Three consecutive wides by Tawanda Maposa in 9th over brought up 100 for Tigers, and n a bit miscommunication between batters resulted in Shahz being run-out for 44. After that, Raza smashed a couple of huge maximums to get himself going, as Tigers got 21 runs from 9th over.

In final over, looking to accelerate against Nicholson Gordon, Karim Janat departed for 4, as he was caught out at long off, and George Linde (0) followed suit off very next ball. Tashinga Musekiwa smashed his first ball over ropes for a six after that, as Tigers finished with 129/5 in 10 overs.

In response, in-form Brian Bennett picked off 12 runs of am Milne’s first over, while Luke Wood took second over, and that gave Samp Army 9 more runs. Dawid Malan and Bennett were coming into final on back of some good form and were looking assured in middle. Malan was up against Tinashe Muchawaya next, and he decided to go through gears, which proved costly for Tigers as three maximums and a couple of boundaries me it a 27-run over for Samp Army.

Malan and Bennett continued to control momentum of innings, and at half-way st, Samp Army for 66/0, and were cruising along. right-handed Bennett n took attack to Raza in next over, as Samp Army hurtled along to 79/0 in 6. At this point, to win, Samp Army needed 51 from final 4 overs, and y h all 10 wickets in hand.

In next over, Tigers struck as am Milne first sent Bennett’s (36) stumps cartwheeling and n h Rohan Mustafa caught at extra cover for a duck. New Zealander kept things quiet for rest of over, after which Karim Janat conceded 10. Malan was nearing his fifty at this point, and Samp Army needed 35 to win from last couple of overs, in what was turning out to be a closely contested game.

Malan got to his fifty in next over with a drive through point, and n started to bring out his full range of shots. In final over, Samp Army needed 21 to win with. And that’s when Muchawaya took charge. youngster was smashed for a couple of sized off first two deliveries of over by Jack Taylor, but he bounced back in fantastic fashion, and tied up batters, to take Tigers to a 5-wicket win.

Brief Scores -

Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers – 129/5 (M Shahz – 44, K Perera – 33, N Gordon – 2/10, Amir Hotak – 1/14) won by 5 runs against Cape Town Samp Army – 124/2 in 10 overs (D Malan – 62*, Brian Bennett – 36, am Milne – 2/18, K Janat – 0/21)