TAPIWA Mufudza took four wickets for 23 runs as Takashinga 1 beat Mbizo by 20 runs in their NPL T20 Blast opener at Harare Sports Club on Thursday evening under flood lights.
Chasing 163, Mbizo were well placed at 54 without loss before the eighth over, but lost wickets steadily through the middle overs and finished on 142/9.
Takashinga 1 won the toss and chose to bat. They lost both openers inside three overs. Prosper Useni bowled Tinashe Kamunhukamwe for 14 and Gerald Olipa was caught behind off Manson Chikowero for seven, leaving the hosts on 24/2.
Kudzai Maunze and captain Roy Kaia rebuilt the innings with a third-wicket partnership of 92. Maunze top-scored with 57 off 39 balls, hitting two fours and four sixes, while Kaia made 42 off 31 with four boundaries.
Mbizo struck back after the stand was broken at 116, removing both batters in the space of eight runs. Tashinga Makoni (18 not out) and Timycen Maruma (15) helped Takashinga 1 to 162/6.
Useni, the Nigeria international, was the pick of the Mbizo bowlers with 2/28 from four overs. Sheldon Mugari conceded 22 runs in his four overs for one wicket, while Tapiwa Mushope took 1/10 from two overs.
In reply, Tafadzwa Mahachi gave the chase a strong start, hitting 55 off 39 balls with nine fours and a six.
Mufudza turned the game after entering the attack in the 10th over. He dismissed Blessed Muzite (9), Brendan Hildebrand (2), Useni (5) and Mushope (9). Kaia removed Mahachi, and Mbizo slipped from 77/3 in the 11th over to 97/8 after 15.
Ronald Masocha (21 not out) and Chikowero (12 not out) batted through to the end, but Mbizo could not close the gap.
Kaia finished with 2/25 and Olipa, one of the Ugandan players in the competition under Zimbabwe Cricket's regional development programme, took 2/9 from two overs.
Mbizo face Rimuka at Takashinga Cricket Club on Friday at 09:30.
Republished from NPL Zimbabwe · Austin Karonga. Original article.
