The Joburg Buffaloes put on a scintillating display of cricket in their final league game of the Zim Afro T10 inaugural edition, securing a commanding 9-wicket victory over the Harare Hurricanes with 22 deliveries to spare. The triumph propelled the Buffaloes to the second spot on the points table, just behind the table-toppers Durban Qalandars. The Cape Town Samp Army and Harare Hurricanes finished third and fourth, respectively, while the Bulawayo Braves ended up at the bottom of the table.
Batting first, the Harare Hurricanes had a sluggish start, losing the wicket of Robin Uthappa early on, who managed to contribute only 6 runs to the team’s total. The Joburg Buffaloes exploited the advantage and kept the pressure on the opposition. Evin Lewis was the next to depart, scoring just 1 run. After the loss of Regis Chakabva, who could only muster 10 runs, Donovan Ferreira and Mohammad Nabi aimed to stabilize the innings.
Ferreira and Nabi stitched a 19-run partnership, attempting to steady the ship for the Hurricanes. However, the Buffaloes struck back in the 7th over, with Blessing Muzarabani claiming a crucial wicket. With the game in the balance, Mohammad Nabi, along with Irfan Pathan, took charge to rebuild the innings. The pair added 20 runs before Nabi was dismissed for 19 runs, followed by Luke Jongwe being sent back to the pavilion without contributing any runs.
Samit Patel couldn’t provide the much-needed support to Irfan Pathan, losing his wicket for a mere 2 runs, courtesy of Junior Dala’s excellent bowling. Eventually, it was up to Irfan and Tashinga Musekiwa to finish the innings with a flourish. In a late surge, Irfan Pathan smashed a vital 6 over extra-cover to end the Hurricanes’ innings at 81/7.
In response, the Joburg Buffaloes began their chase confidently, despite losing the wicket of the experienced captain, Mohammad Hafeez, who scored 7 runs before being dismissed by Indian pacer S Sreesanth. However, this early setback did not deter the Buffaloes’ momentum.
Tom Banton and Will Smeed formed a formidable partnership and launched an aggressive assault on the opposition’s bowling attack. The duo quickly settled in and started hammering boundaries, rapidly taking control of the match. By the halfway stage, the scoreboard displayed an imposing 63/1 in favor of the Buffaloes.
Will Smeed’s blistering innings outshined Banton’s, and both batsmen showcased their clean hitting skills, propelling the Buffaloes closer to a comprehensive victory. Smeed surpassed Banton’s score in no time, and the pair seemed unstoppable as they pushed their team towards triumph. In the end, the Joburg Buffaloes chased down the target with ease, finishing at 82/1 with more than three overs to spare.
Brief Scores:
Harare Hurricanes – 81/7 (Mohammad Nabi – 19, Donovan Ferreira – 15; Noor Ahmad – 2/7, Mohammad Hafeez – 2/21)
lost by 9 wickets against Joburg Buffaloes – 82/1 (Will Smeed – 44*, Tom Banton – 28*; Sreesanth – 1/6)
With this impressive victory, the Joburg Buffaloes will now face off against the Durban Qalandars in Qualifier 1, while the Cape Town Samp Army will lock horns with the Harare Hurricanes in the Eliminator. Cricket enthusiasts eagerly await these thrilling encounters to see which teams will progress to the next stage of the Zim Afro T10 tournament.
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