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Takashinga 2 – 72/10 in 15.5 overs (Tashinga Musekiwa 23, Daichi Nyandoro 10; Benjamin Banks 3/7, Sean Williams 2/10, Luke van Zyl 2-12, Ryan Burl 2-12)
SOGO Rangers – 76/3 in 12.0 overs (Nicholas Welch 26, Mathew Welch 24*; Daichi Nyandoro 2-25)
SOGO Rangers won by 7 wickets
Defending champions Takashinga 2 suffered a heavy loss to debutants SOGO Rangers as the NPL T20 Bllast got underway on Tuesday.
Teenage star Benjamin Banks was in irresistible form as he returned figures of three for seven from three overs to dismiss Takashinga 2 for just 72 under the sun at Harare Sports Club.
Former Zimbabwe captain Sean Williams was impressive in his first outing for Rangers, with two wickets for 10.
But Banks extracted pace on a spongy pitch, which provided some deception for the batters.
Only Tashinga Musekiwa (23) and Daichi Nyandoro got to double figures.
Matthew Welch and his brother Nick were the basis for all good in the chase. Their 20-run partnership came after Jayden Schadendorf and Matthew Campbell had quickly lost their wickets.
Matthew made an unbeaten 24, while Nick contributed with 26 at the top before he was bowled for 26.
Takashinga 1 197/6 in 20 overs (Joylord Gumbie 58, Timycen Maruma 42, Roy Kaia 42*; Nkosilathi Nungu 3-40, Victor Chirwa 2-30)
Rainbow 201/6 in 19.2 overs (Victor Chirwa 76, Ronak Patel 49, Nyasha Mayavo 48; Roya Kaia 3-20, Richard Ngarava 2-43)
Rainbow won by four wickets
Rainbow survived a mini middle-order collapse to beat Takashinga 1 by four wickets at Old Hararians.
They were cruising when they lost three wickets for no runs in just eight balls.
With Nyasha Mayavo watching wickets fall on the other end, it meant he was in for the late charge and helped his side home, chasing a massive total.
Earlier, Takashinga 1, the reigning champions of 45-over NPL, felt they had enough after putting 197 for six on the board.
However, Old Hararians is known to get flat when sun-baked and, with lightning-fast outfield at play.
Gladiators – 179/7 in 20 overs (Panashe Taruvinga 50, Lennox Chando 40; Vincent Masekesa 2/29, Mashford Shungu 2/35)
Westside – 136/10 in 20 overs (Spencer Magodo 49, Clive Chitumba 21; Tapiwa Mushope 3/16, Munashe Zata 2/15, Tanatswa Chisvo 2/33)
Gladiators won by 43 runs
Panashe Taruvinga opened his NPL T20 Blast account with a 50 to help Gladiators to a 43-run win over Westside at Old Haririans.
His effort, along with Lennox Chando’s 40, gave the Chitungwiza side a healthy 179 for seven to defend.
Chando was aggressive at the top, getting to his total off just 22 balls, including two sixes and six fours.
Taruvinga was equally aggressive, with his 50 31 balls.
Other than Phase Mukabeta and Jackson Makalichin, who went over 10-an-over, most of the Gladiators bowlers were tight.
Mbizo – 156/4 in 20 overs (Ahsan Aqil Ali 41, Takudzwanaishe Kaitano 34; Jeffrey Mhuriyengwe 1-26)
Queens – 144/6 in 20 overs (Dalubuhle Mboyi 30, Munashe Chimusoro 22; Jabulisa Tshuma 2-21, Ahsan Ali 1-21)
Mbizo win by 12 runs
Ahsan Aqil Ali carried on with his form from the NPL to the T20 format with an impressive performance in Mbizo’s 12-run win over Queens.
With both sides on their NPL T20 Blast debut, it was the Kwekwe side who took the honours with a hard-fought victory.
Aqil Ali was brilliant, scoring 41 off 25 and then one for 21 with the ball.
He was ably deputised Takudzwanashe Kaitano, recently drafted from Rimuka. He made 34 off 30 at the top.
But it was Aqil Ali, voted MVP of the 45-over tournament, who excited fans with two sixes and three fours,
He also shared a 48-run partnership with Nigerian important Isaac Danladi.
Queens suffered early and lost their top four for cheap. Dalubugle Mboyi started a rearguard action, top-scoring with 30 off 29, while Munashe Chimusoro at the end gave Mbizo palpitations with his 22 off 14.
Michael Chinouya held his nerve at the end to defend 27.
2024 NPL T20 Blast table after matchday 1
Group Stage (League Matches)
| # | Team | M | W | L | D | T | NR | NRR | Pt. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | SOGO Rangers | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.733 | 2 |
| 2 | Gladiators Cricket Club | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2.150 | 2 |
| 3 | Mbizo Cricket Club | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.600 | 2 |
| 4 | Rainbow 1 Cricket Club | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0.547 | 2 |
| 5 | Takashinga 1 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.547 | 0 |
| 6 | Queens 1 Sports Club | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -0.600 | 0 |
| 7 | Westside Cricket Club | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2.150 | 0 |
| 8 | Takashinga 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | -2.733 | 0 |
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