Zimbabwe qualified for the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup with a comfortable five-wicket win over Scotland in a Group B match here on Friday. The win ensured Zimbabwe’s top spot in Group B, bringing the team into Group Two of the Super 12 along with India, Pakistan, South Africa, Bangladesh and the Netherlands. The Scottish campaign also ended after the defeat. Fast bowler Tendai Chatara, who took two wickets for 14 runs from a maiden in four overs, allowed Scotland to score 132 for six in four overs.
With this, Chatara became the first bowler for Zimbabwe to take more than 50 wickets in T20 Internationals. He kept the run pace under control with his precise bowling. Left-arm pacer Richard Ngarawa (2 for 28) proved to be a bit expensive but he also took the wickets of two Scotland players whose captain Richie Berrington won the toss and elected to bat. In reply, Zimbabwe chased down the target in 18.3 overs, thanks to their star all-rounder Sikandar Raza’s 40 off 23 balls, three fours and two sixes, and skipper Craig Irwin’s 58 off 54 balls.
Earlier, Raza had taken a wicket for 20 runs from his off-spin, which earned him the man of the match. Zimbabwe had lost two wickets for seven runs in two overs but their captain Irwin played the role of a facilitator. Irvine put on a 39-ball 35-run partnership with Sean Williams and then broke Scotland’s hopes of a 43-ball 64 for the fifth wicket with Raza. Earlier, for Scotland, opener George Munshi scored 54 runs in 51 balls which included seven fours.
