Ahsan Aqil Ali grabs 8-for to keep Mbizo’s T20 Blast hopes alive

Mbizo 157 in 37 overs (Ahsan Aqil Ali 31, Chiemelie Udekwe 31, Isaac Danladi 26; Arnold Shara 4-14, Raymond Kasimo 3-37, Ruvimbo Mumbire 2-33)

Amakhosi 107 in 22.2 overs (Tafara Mupariwa 39, Tinashe Mujuru 21; Ahsan Aqil Ali; 8-46, Jabulisa Tshuma 2-18)

Mbizo won by 50 runs

Ahsan Aqil Ali pulled out all the stops, grabbing a spellbinding eight wickets as Mbizo beat Amakhosi by 50 runs in a National Premier League (NPL) match at Bulawayo Athletic Club on Friday.

While he went at 5.11 an over, it was a spell in which he affected every section of the attack, removing all the batters save for Adrian Mupembe and Arnold Shara, who fell to Jabulisa Tshuma.

His eight for 46 gave him the best numbers for a Mbizo player, and he becomes the second to take as many in innings this year after Thamsanqa Nunu’s fruitless effort against Gladiators earlier in the competition.

Ahsan Aqil Ali also top-scored with the bat for Mbizo. He made 31, the same as Nigerian import Chimelie Udekwe. Another West African, Isaac Danladi, contributed 26.

The win means Mbizo, now placed sixth, have some breathing room between them and Queens in ninth as the race for a top-eight finish hots up.

The top eight sides play the NPL T20 Blast.

Knights 98 in 22.5 overs (Calvin Mubvute 24, Winfred Matende 20; Daniel Jackiel 5-27, Munashe Chipoyi 3-24)

Rainbow 102/2 in 12.1 overs (Muhammad Khan 46*, Clive Imbayago 26*; Raazadine Ebrahim 1-16)

Rainbow won by eight wickets

Rainbow compounded Knights’s misery with a quick-fire eight-wicket victory at Takashinga Cricket Club.

Malawi international Daniel Jackiel took five for 27 in an innings where four Knights batters failed to score a single run.

Only four batters hit double figures, these being Calvin Mubvute (24), Winfred Matende (20), Raazadine Ebrahim (14) and Prince Chisiwa (10).

It was an innings consistent with the poor season the Masvingo side has had this season. They have not won a match, and the four left in their locker appear a stretch more than anything else.

Rainbow did their net run rate a favour, knocking off the modest 99 in 12.1 overs.

Muhammad Khan carried the bat and made 46.

The win means Rainbow remain an active interested party in the top eight outcome.

Strikers 265/7 in 45 overs (Panashe Gwatiringa 83, Villan Changa 55; Benjamin Banks 4-21, Alex Falao 2-47)

SOGO Rangers 266/5 in 41.5 overs (Matthew Campbell 90, Jayden Schadendorf 51; Tatenda Chimugoro 2-46, Takunda Manyama 1-43)

SOGO Rangers won by 5 wickets

SOGO Rangers put on a professional performance in dispensing of a youthful Strikers by five wickets at Old Hararians.

Put in to bat first, the Strikers posted a healthy 265 for seven, anchored by the teenage pair of Panashe Gwatiringa (83) and Villan Changa (55).

They combined for a fourth-wicket partnership of 113.

Rangers were in the mood, particularly Matthew Campbell, who was bowled by Tatenda Chimugoro ten short of a century.

Jayden Scadendorf held the middle order together and scored an unbeaten 41 off 43.

The win means Rangers are still just 10 points off the top as the season enters its final stretch.

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