Zim Afro T10 2024: James Neesham, Rassie van der Dussen, Hazratullah Zazai Light Up the Evening on Opening Day

Season 2 of the Zim Afro T10 saw an opening day full of high-quality cricketing action across three games as the likes of Hazratullah Zazai, Sikandar Raza, James Neesham, and Rassie van der Dussen lit up the Saturday evening at the Harare Sports Club, where the Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers, Harare Bolts and the NYS Lagos, all registered wins in their opening games. Among the bowlers, Richard Gleeson (3/8) and Adam Milne (1/9) were the picks of the day.

In the opening fixture, the Durban Wolves started off brightly under the afternoon sunshine, with Sharjeel Khan (29) and Mark Chapman (38) top scoring as they went onto to post a competitive total of 106/5. The Wolves would have probably scored more runs if not for the brilliance of Adam Milne, who finished with figures of 1/9 in his two overs. After that, in the second innings, it was the Hazratullah Zazai (44) show. Zazai and Mohammad Shahzad (13*) posted a half-century stand in quick time before Sri Lankan Kusal Perera and skipper Sikandar Raza applied the finishing touches with a flurry of boundaries.

After that, it was the turn of the Cape Town Samp Army to take first strike in the second game. The big-hitting Englishman Dawid Malan scored a brisk 31 off 14 deliveries and was helped out by the West Indian Leonardo Julien, who added a healthy 34 from 16. However, it was Richard Gleeson’s three-wicket haul that helped the Harare Bolts restrict the Samp Army to 103/5. Gleeson finished with figures of 3/8 in his two overs.

The Bolts though didn’t begin as well as they would have liked to with the bat, as they lost a few early wickets. At the half-way stage, the Bolts were 5 down for 45, and it was down to the pair of James Neesham (30*) and George Munsey (33*) to dig them out of a hole. The duo did not disappoint, putting together a very fast paced 60-run stand from 24 deliveries, to register a 5-wicket win with three deliveries to go. 

In the final game of the opening day, the Bulawayo Brave Jaguars batted first, and the likes of Kobe Herft (31*), Carlos Brathwaite (34) and Wesley Madhavere (16*) put the long handle to good use, under the lights. And while Binura Fernando (1/11) bowled an economical spell, the Braves did enough to post 101/4. In response, the NYS Lagos putting in a classy batting display.

South African Rassie van der Dussen and Avishka Fernando put on a 79-run stand in just over 6 overs to put their side in the box seat. Van der Dussen completed his fifty, and Season 2’s first half-century in the 8th over before he departed for 51. However, the South African had done enough for his side already, as the duo of Ryan Burl (11*) and Thisara Perera (4*) helped the side over the line. The NYS Lagos walked off with a 7-wicket win to their name.

Brief Scores:

Match 1

Jo’Burg Bangla Tigers – 109/2 in 7.4 overs: (Hazratullah Zazai – 44, Kusal Perera – 23, M Irfan – 1/28, D Tiripano – 1/23) won by 8 wickets against Durban Wolves – 106/5 in 10 overs (Mark Chapman – 38, Sharjeel Khan – 29, Adam Milne – 1/9, S Raza – 1/19)

Match 2

Harare Bolts – 105/5 in 9.3 overs: (George Munsey – 33*, James Neesham – 30*, David Willey – 1/13, Roshan Mustafa – 1/17) won by 5 wickets against Cape Town Samp Army – 103/5 in 10 overs (Dawid Malan – 31, L Julien – 34*, Richard Gleeson – 3/8, D Shanaka -1/18)

Match 3

NYS Lagos – 102/3 in 9.4 overs: (Rassie van der Dussen – 51, Avishka Fernando – 34, Wellington Masakadza – 1/11, Carlos Brathwaite – 1/17) won by 7 wickets against Bulawayo Brave Jaguars – 101/4 in 10 overs (Carlos Brathwaite – 34, Kobe Herft – 31*, Matiullah Khan – 2/27, B Fernando – 1/11)