CRICKET
‘Are Zim ne qualify nahin kiya, inse nahin haarna tha yaar’ – Fans react as Zimbabwe clinch last-over thriller against Sri Lanka in second T20I
Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe locked horns in the second T20I of the three-match series. In the first game of the series, the former T20 World Cup winners managed a last-ball against a side that didn’t qualify for the 2024 edition. Meanwhile, in this game, the Chevrons won the toss and elected to bowl first. They had a great start with Luke Jongwe, Blessing Muzarbani, and Hamilton Mazakadza combining for four wickets in just 27 runs.
At this stage, former skipper Angelo Mathews and Charitha Asalanka put together 118 runs for the fifth wicket. Both batters scored a fifty each and helped the team reach 173/6 at the end of the innings. For the Red Brigade, the likes of Muzarbani and Jongwe took two wickets each. On the other hand, Richard Ngarava and Wellington Mazakadza took one each.
Zimbabwe clinches last-over thriller to level the series
In the chase, the Southern African side started poorly with the wicket of Tinashe Kamunhukamwe at the score of 22 on the board. However, the visitors recovered well from the early blow as Brian Bennett and Craig Ervine put together 74 runs for the second wicket.
After this partnership was broken, the team was reduced to 143/6 with Ervine scoring 70. In the last over bowled by Angelo Mathews, Zim needed 20 runs with four fielders outside the circle due to over-rate. However, the likes of wicketkeeper batter Clive Madande and pacer Luke Jongwe scored those runs in five balls to level the series 1-1.
Luke Jongwe is the Player of the Match: “I don’t think I even have the words to explain how I’m feeling. I’m just grateful to my teammates, and we’ve just been playing really hard to get that win out of the way. For the past three months or so I’ve been in similar situations but couldn’t take the team home, I’m just glad and thank God that I was able to do it today.”
This is how Twitter reacted
What a win! 🇿🇼
Jongwe backs up Ervine’s superb work.
Zimbabwe needed 20 in last over and Luke takes them home to make the series 1-1!#SLvZIM
— Nikhil 🏏 (@CricCrazyNIKS) January 16, 2024
Agendo Mathews thought ZIM all roundes bat like him in T20s.
😆 #SLvZIM
— Cham J (@Uppercut07) January 16, 2024
ඔය කරේ ඉතින්. නොදකින්. 🤢
මොනවහරි කිව්වොත් ඉතින් අපිට බැනගෙන එනවා පොරගේ ෆෑන්ස්ලා.
He bowled absolute pies.
So much for “experience”HORRIBLE. 🤢#SLvZIM
— S (@Sakun_SD) January 16, 2024
What was his agenda? Fixed?
Anyway deserved to be the Player of the Match again.
Interview or push-ups this time?#SLvZIM
— Ranjan Mellawa (@RMellawa) January 16, 2024
Luke Jongwe pulled off an absolute heist. What a player! Stole the game away from Sri Lanka and secured one of the best comebacks in T20I cricket history!
Yes Zimbabwe 🇿🇼 pic.twitter.com/aHMxxUPxhw
— Adam Theo🇿🇼🏏 (@AdamTheofilatos) January 16, 2024
ZIMBABWE HAVE BEATEN SRI LANKA BY 4 WICKETS…!!!!
Zimbabwe needed 20 in last over – Luke Jongwe and Madande finished with 6,4,6,0,1,6. A historical win for Zimbabwe…!!!! pic.twitter.com/EZEc3sYoqi
— Mufaddal Vohra (@mufaddal_vohra) January 16, 2024
Well played Zimbabwe 👏👏 great chase.. #SLvZIM pic.twitter.com/ituqlZaFnc
— Nibraz Ramzan (@nibraz88cricket) January 16, 2024
No Zimbabwe cricket fan will skip this post without liking. We have beaten Sri Lanka🔥🔥🔥🔥 pic.twitter.com/F4rq2GO1qf
— WemaBars📶🎸🌍 🇿🇼🇺🇸 (@InfinityBars99) January 16, 2024
Angelo Mathews has to defend 20 off the final over with No.9 and No.10 of Zimbabwe.
Mathews conceded 24 runs in five balls.
All this after the last press conference seems an even bigger embarrassment for him. 🤦
What a win for Zimbabwe 🔥🙌
— Anuj Nitin Prabhu (@APTalksCricket) January 16, 2024
Zimbabwe win a nail-biting finish. Craig Set it up and Madande hit a SIX to seal the game with a ball to spare. Great hitting from Jongwe and Madande. Series level on 1-1. The final game will decide the series. #SLvZIM pic.twitter.com/TZEZuoldK3
— Baynham Goredema 🇿🇼 🇿🇦 (@bayhaus) January 16, 2024