Harare Hurricanes’ captain, Robin Uthappa, turned back the clock with a scintillating display of batting prowess, leading his team to a commanding 9-wicket victory against Cape Town Samp Army in the Eliminator of the City Zim Afro T10 at the Harare Sports Club.
Opting to bat first, Cape Town Samp Army got off to a strong start with Rahmanullah Gurbaz and Bhanuka Rajapaksa attacking the bowlers at will. Rajapaksa provided the early fireworks, scoring 25 from 11 deliveries. However, Gurbaz was the real aggressor, smashing a scintillating 62 off just 26 balls, including 6 sixes and four boundaries. He was well-supported by Sean Williams as they put on a blistering 68-run partnership. Samp Army posted an imposing 145/3 in their 10 overs.
In response, Harare Hurricanes’ opening duo of Robin Uthappa and Evin Lewis came out all guns blazing. While Lewis departed after a brisk start, Uthappa took charge and found a reliable partner in Donovan Ferreira. Uthappa displayed his vintage form, driving, cutting, and pulling with precision. He reached his second half-century of the tournament, guiding the Hurricanes towards victory.
The Uthappa-Ferreira partnership flourished, finding gaps and dispatching the ball to the boundary at will. With 26 needed in the last two overs, Uthappa unleashed his attacking prowess, clobbering two sixes and a boundary in Tom Curran’s over, setting up a thrilling finish.
In the final over, Uthappa remained unstoppable, finishing the match with 4 balls to spare. His unbeaten knock of 88 ensured Harare Hurricanes chased down the target with ease, setting a new record for the highest total in an innings in the tournament.
Brief Scores:
Cape Town Samp Army: 145/3 (Rahmanullah Gurbaz 62*, Sean Williams 28*; Nandre Burger 2/18, Mohammad Nabi 1/24)
Harare Hurricanes: 146/1 (Robin Uthappa 88*, Donovan Ferreira 35*; Richard Ngarava 1/21)
With this remarkable win, Harare Hurricanes have set up a clash with Durban Qalandars in Qualifier 2, where the winner will face Joburg Buffaloes in the Final. The Hurricanes’ confidence will be soaring high after Uthappa’s sensational performance, and they will be eager to continue their impressive run in the tournament.
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