Zimbabwe secured a commanding 35-run victory over Namibia in the inaugural match of the men’s cricket category at the 13th African Games held in Accra, Ghana, yesterday.
The match showcased an outstanding innings of 65 runs by Brian Bennett, complemented by a stellar all-round performance from Owen Muzondo. Opting to bat first after winning the toss, Zimbabwe posted a commendable total of 197 runs for the loss of six wickets.
Despite the early dismissal of Tadiwanashe Marumani, Rodney Mupfudza and Johnathan Campbell steadied the innings with scores of 32 and 39 respectively. Brian Bennett’s aggressive batting further boosted Zimbabwe’s score, tallying 65 runs off 39 balls.
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A valuable partnership between Clive Madande and Bennett added 53 runs for the sixth wicket. Owen Muzondo’s quickfire 15 runs off five balls concluded Zimbabwe’s innings at 197 for six wickets in 20 overs. In response, Namibia’s innings started promisingly, with Malan Kruger and Nikolaas Davin forming a strong opening partnership of 73 runs.
However, Muzondo’s crucial dismissals shifted the momentum in Zimbabwe’s favor. Despite a resilient effort from Gerhard Janse van Rensburg, Namibia could only manage a total of 162 runs for the loss of eight wickets.
Muzondo and Tashinga Musekiwa starred with the ball, claiming three wickets each. Zimbabwe will face Tanzania next, followed by a match against Nigeria, to complete their Group B fixtures. The top two teams from the group will advance to the semi-finals