Zim Afro T10: Zazai, Raza help Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers beat Durban Wolves by 8 wickets

Harare: Hazratullah Zazai and Sikandar Raza did the star turn as Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers outplayed Durban Wolves in the opening match of the second edition of the Zim Afro T10, which kicked off on Saturday. There were a total of 12 sixes hit in less than 20 overs, as Zazai and Raza ensured the Tigers finished the day with an 8-wicket win at the Harare Sports Club.

The Durban Wolves started with ten off the first two deliveries as Sharjeel Khan took the attack to Luke Wood in the very first over itself. However, Will Smeed at the other end lost his wicket for a duck in the next over against Adam Milne, while looking to attack.

Right after, Sikandar Raza came into the attack, and along with Luke Wood applied the brakes on the Durban Wolves’ scoring rate, which resulted in the crucial wicket of Sharjeel (29) in the fourth over, with the score at 35. Next in were the New Zealanders Colin Munro and Mark Chapman, who were looking to attack from the get-go.

Antum Naqvi though was able to castle Munro (10) before he kicked on, and at the halfway stage, the Durban Wolves were at 47/3. Chapman had Regis Chakabva for company after that as they started to rebuild the momentum.

The seventh over proved to be vital for Durban, as Chapman ensured it was big over off Karim Janat, with a six and a boundary, pushing the scoring rate to above 10 an over. Chapman was up against Raza in the next over and continued to attack before being trapped LBW for 38.

In the last couple of overs, Chakabva (13*), and Tinotenda Maposa (11*) put the long handle to good use, as the Wolves ended their innings with the score of 106/5. For the Tigers, Adam Milne had bowled a blinder, conceding just the 9 runs in his 2 overs for 1 wicket.

For the Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers, it was Mohammad Shahzad and Hazratullah Zazai, who took charge up top and began with an 8-run over against Mohammad Irfan. In the second over, Zazai hit the first six of the innings, as they raced away to a quick and solid start. Zazai pounced on the chance to up the ante in the third over, as he picked off a hat-trick of boundaries off Mohammad Rohid Khan, as the Tigers reached 36/0 after three overs.

Zazai was in no mood to slow down, and in the fourth over, the Tigers’ opening partnership touched the 50-run mark. Zazai (44) too was hurtling along toward his half-century before Irfan knocked over the woodwork and sent the batter back to the hut.

In walked Kusal Perera at one drop and started on top gear, with a six off the very first delivery he faced. At the halfway stage, Perera and Shahzad (13*) were going strong with the score at 69/1.

Perera though was dismissed off the next over as Tiripano had his number for 23 runs off 7 deliveries. But the Tigers continued to march on as skipper Sikandar Raza came in and smashed 10 off his first two deliveries, much to the joy of the crowd at the Harare Sports Club. At this point, there were four overs to go, and the Tigers needed 15 runs to seal the win.

In the seventh over, a six from Raza (20 not out) took the Tigers to the 100-run mark, and the formalities were completed off the 8th over as the skipper carved it away to the boundary, to register a comprehensive win.

Brief scores:

Durban Wolves 106/5 in 10 overs (Mark Chapman 38, Sharjeel Khan 29; Adam Milne 1-9, Sikandar Raza 1-19) lost to Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers 109/2 in 7.4 overs (Hazratullah Zazai 44, Kusal Perera 23; M. Irfan 1-28, D. Tiripano 1-23) by 8 wickets.

–IANS