The Zim Afro T10 final witnessed a thrilling climax as the Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers, led by the seasoned Sikandar Raza, emerged victorious in a nail-biting contest against the Cape Town Samp Army. The match was a rollercoaster of emotions, with the Tigers appearing to be on the verge of defeat before a remarkable display of bowling by young Zimbabwean fast bowler Tinashe Muchawaya turned the tide in their favor.
The Tigers, batting first, got off to a blistering start with openers Kusal Perera and Mohammad Shahzad tearing into the Samp Army bowlers. The duo raced to a 59-run partnership in under four overs, with Perera departing for a quickfire 33. However, Shahzad, who had already showcased his big-hitting prowess in the Qualifier 1, continued to dominate. He found a reliable partner in Hazratullah Zazai, and the two helped the Tigers reach 60/1 at the five-over mark.
The momentum shifted slightly in the seventh over, with Shahzad and Zazai putting on 18 runs against Salman Irshad. The Tigers continued their aggressive approach, but Amir Hotak’s dismissal of Zazai for 19 brought the experienced Raza to the crease. The Tigers reached their century in the 9th over, thanks to three consecutive wides by Tawanda Maposa, but a mix-up between the batters resulted in Shahzad being run out for 44.
Raza, the ever-reliable captain, took charge, smashing two huge sixes to propel the Tigers to 129/5 in their allotted 10 overs. The Samp Army, in response, started their chase with a strong opening stand between Brian Bennett and Dawid Malan. Bennett, riding the wave of his recent form, smashed 12 runs off the first over bowled by Adam Milne, while Malan looked equally comfortable.
The game reached its turning point in the fourth over as Malan unleashed a barrage of shots against Tinashe Muchawaya, hitting three sixes and two boundaries to score a staggering 27 runs. Malan and Bennett continued to dominate, reaching 66/0 at the halfway mark, seemingly cruising towards victory. Bennett then took the attack to Raza in the next over, taking the Samp Army to 79/0 in 6 overs. With 51 runs required in the final four overs, and all 10 wickets in hand, the Samp Army seemed destined for victory.
However, the tide turned dramatically in the next over. Adam Milne first bowled Bennett (36) out before having Rohan Mustafa caught for a duck. Milne kept the Samp Army quiet for the rest of the over, and with Malan nearing his half-century, the Samp Army needed 35 runs to win from the last two overs. The pressure was mounting.
Malan reached his fifty in the next over with a drive through point and continued his aggressive approach. However, in the final over, with 21 runs required, Muchawaya stepped up. Despite conceding two boundaries in the first two balls, the young bowler showed incredible composure and tied up the batters, eventually securing a thrilling 5-run win for the Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers.
The victory was a testament to the resilience of the Tigers, and Tinashe Muchawaya emerged as the hero, demonstrating exceptional control and composure under immense pressure. His final over heroics will be remembered for a long time. The Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers, led by a brilliant Sikandar Raza, were crowned champions of the inaugural Zim Afro T10, leaving a lasting impression on the cricketing world.
