Zimbabwe knocked out of World Cup contention
Hosts Zimbabwe suffered a stunning 31-run defeat at the hands of Scotland in the Super Six match at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo on Tuesday (July 4) to be knocked out of contention for a spot in the 2023 ODI World Cup. Scotland, who have a game left against Netherlands, need to only avoid a heavy defeat in that match to book a spot alongside Sri Lanka for the main event to be held in India in October-November.
Reduced to 29/3 in a chase of 235, Zimbabwe were left playing catch-up quite early in their innings, with the in-form Sean Williams falling for 12. Sikandar Raza got off to a good start but his dismissal for 34 left the hosts at 91/5. Ryan Burl and Wessly Madhevere added 73 for the sixth wicket as they tried to revive the chase.
But Madhevere's wicket meant that Burl had to play a lone hand as he was running out of support from the other end. Burl, who struck a four and a six off Michael Leask, fell in the same over as he departed dejected after scoring a valiant 83. The required rate wasn't a problem for Zimbabwe but they lost too many wickets and ended up getting bowled out for 203, leaving their hopes shattered.
Earlier, after being asked to bat, Scotland's top-order batters came up with useful contributions to set the tone for the innings. But Zimbabwe kept chipping away, thanks to Williams's three-wicket haul, as they left the opposition at 170/7 at one stage. But Michael Leask's 48 off 34 deliveries helped Scotland post a competitive score, and he later helped defend it with his two wickets after Chris Sole, who bowled a fiery spell, softened Zimbabwe up by dismissing three of the top four.
Brief scores: Scotland 234/8 in 50 overs (Michael Leask 48, Matthew Cross 38; Sean Williams 3-41) beat Zimbabwe 203 in 41.1 overs (Ryan Burl 83, Wessly Madhevere 40; Chris Sole 3-33) by 31 runs.
Having failed to qualify for the Super Six, Ireland had to be content with competing to finish seventh and they huffed and puffed to victory in their seventh-place play-off match against Nepal at the Takashinga Sports Club in Harare. Chasing 269 for victory, Ireland got over the line with only four deliveries to spare and two wickets in hand.
After a slow start and losing two wickets inside the first two overs, Nepal steadied themselves through a fifty-run partnership between Arjun Saud and Rohit Paudel. Nepal managed to separate the set pair but Kushal Malla and Bhim Sharki put on another rebuilding partnership worth 59 runs. Ireland then hit back with quick wickets as Nepal, who were 162/4, slipped to 169/7. Nepal were able to finish with a challenging total thanks to Gulsan Jha's 57 off 42 and his 80-run stand for the eighth wicket with Sandeep Lamichhane, who scored 32 off 30. Jha remained till the end, striking four fours and three sixes, as he led the team close to the 270 mark.
Ireland lost the top three inside the first 12 overs to be 60/3. Harry Tector scored a measured half-century as he and the other middle-order batters tried to keep Ireland on track. But it became 134/5 as Lorcan Tucker and Tector fell in quick succession. Ireland recovered again thanks to a 59-ball 62 from Curtis Campher, who was involved in an 84-run association with George Dockrell. The equation came down to 29 off the last five overs, with Nepal bagging the important wicket of Dockrell in the 45th to leave Ireland seven down. Mark Adair, who struck two crucial fours off Dipendra Singh Airee in the 48th over, became Karan KC's fourth scalp in the next over. It came down to the last over, with Ireland needing five runs to reach the target, with only two wickets left. Barry McCarthy's four off Gulsan Jha sealed the deal for them.
Brief scores: Nepal 289/9 in 50 overs (Gulsan Jha 57*, Arjun Saud 48; Craig Young 2-36) lost to Ireland 269/8 in 49.2 overs (Curtis Campher 62, Harry Tector 60; Karan KC 4-58) by 2 wickets.
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