Botswana cruise to cricket glory
Dumisani Ncube | Monday December 7, 2015 15:39
Botswana managed 137 runs in their allotted overs with their rivals only managing 56 runs from 20 overs.
Botswana had a brilliant start in the first innings with opening batsmen Karabo Motlhanka and Saad Moyhuddin putting together 74 runs.
Zimbabwean bowlers, Elvis Chipfumbu and Kelvis Zimba’s experience did not pay off as the batsmen rotated the strike to keep the scoreboard ticking. The opening partnership ended in the 12th over when Chipfumbu bowled Moyhuddin for 43 with the score at 74.
Akram Chand came in and continued the run fest and scored a quick fire 25 from 22 deliveries. Motlhanka’s namesake, Karabo Modise joined him at the crease but the former skipper did not last long through a stumping.
Botswana closed their innings with 137 on the board and Zimbabwe openers, Zimba and Steny Muvengi began poorly. Zimba was dismissed in the second over for seven.
Wickets continued to tumble at regular intervals with Reginald Nehonde and Isaac Lungu trying, but failing to score quick enough.
All rounder Modise stumped Nehonde in the seventh over with Zimbabwe on 15 runs. Lungu was run out in the 10th over with just six runs to his name and the low order batsmen failed to rescue the sinking Zimbabwe ship. Zimbabwe was eventually bowled for 56 with 13 of the runs being extras.
The Botswana win means they are the leading all time winners with four titles followed by Pakistan on three.
“Because we are a young team we took advantage of our energy to win the game; we came out and played as we should have. This is the best game that we have played the whole tournament,” Botswana captain, Motlhanka said.
The annual tournament sees foreign nationals who are Botswana residents, represent their respective countries.