ICC T20 World Cup 2022: Zimbabwe punishes Scotland by 5 wickets, joins Ireland in Super 12
Zimbabwe has managed to trounce Scotland by five wickets in the final group-stage game of the ICC T20 World Cup 2022 in Hobart on Friday. With this victory, the former has joined Ireland in the Super 12 stage.
FollowIt was a calm and composed form of gameplay from Zimbabwe in the final group-stage tie of the 2022 ICC T20 World Cup. Playing Scotland at the Bellerive Oval in Hobart on Friday, the Zimbabweans ensured a five-wicket victory, which took it atop the Group B table, securing their spot in the Super 12 stage, along with Ireland from their group. The latter defeated former two-time champion Windies earlier today to seal its place in the next round. Skipper Craig Ervine's classy 58 played a pivotal role in the success, aided by Sikandar Raza's 40, while it was a decent show by the Chevrons' bowlers.
Winning the toss, Scotland opted to bat, as it lost a couple for 24 by the fifth over of the Powerplay (PP) before opener George Munsey (54) and Richie Berrington (13) added 40 for the third wicket before the latter departed in the tenth. While the former struck his eighth Twenty20 International (T20I) half-century after a 34-run stand with Calum Macleod (25), he was dismissed in the 17th, at 98/4.
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Thereon, the Scot could not get any promising stands and could manage 132/6, while for the Zimbabweans, pacers Tendai Chatara and Richard Ngarava captured a couple of wickets each, while the former was laboriously economical. In reply, Zimbabwe suffered a couple, losing a couple for just seven by the second over of the PP.
However, Ervine and Sean Williams (7) added 35 for the third wicket before the latter departed in the eighth. It was followed by another impressive partnership between Ervine and Raza of 64 before the latter went back in the 15th at 106/4. At this time, Ervine hit his sixth T20I 60 before falling in the 17th, 13 runs later, while Milton Shumba (11*) and Ryan Burl (9*) saw out the chase by the 19th over, with nine balls to spare, sealing Zimbabwe's fate in the Super 12. For the Saltires, pacer Josh Davey seized a couple, while orthodox spinner Mark Watt was economical.
Brief scores: SCO 132/6 (Munsey- 54; Chatara- 2/14) lost to ZIM 133/5 in 18.3 overs (Ervine- 58, Raza- 40; Davey- 2/16) by five wickets.
