Zimbabwe hosted Oman in the Super Six stage of the ICC World Cup Qualifiers on June 27, 2023. The hosts were able to snatch a 14-run win after a spirited performance from Team Oman at different intervals in the game. The victory moves Zimbabwe a step closer to World Cup qualification after a recent uptick in form.
Sean Williams’ second century and input from other Zimbabwe players put the team in a strong position to qualify for the next ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
How Has Zimbabwe Performed in Recent World Cup Qualification Games?
Team Zimbabwe has been in red hot form of late, amassing four wins out of their last four matches in the World Cup Qualification stages. The rich vein of form from Zimbabwe puts them at an advantage ahead of the ICC World Cup showdown.
Recent victories means Zimbabwe now has six points at the Super Six stage. Four points carried from their previous games and two more from the Queens Sports Club sums their current tally.
How Did Oman Perform in Recent World Cup Qualification Games?
Oman put up a good fight against the Zimbabwe national cricket team, but their performance was not enough to snatch a victory. Team Oman capitulated late on in the game, even after Kashyap Prajapati snatched a century to keep them in the run-in.
Their performances could not keep up with a mammoth milestone set by Zimbabwe. Oman needed to chase an obscene target of 333, effectively stunting their chances of a win.
The performance from Oman was no small feat; however, stellar displays from Zimbabwe outshone the Omani’s efforts. For example, Sean Williams current form has seen him amass a trio of centuries and a 91, making him one of the deadliest players in this World Cup qualification round.
How the Game Progressed
Zimbabwe were put in to bat at the start of proceedings, and they quickly amassed 142 runs from few balls. Such a quick riot made it almost impossible for Oman to recover, handing Zimbabwe the platform for a double-digit run victory.
Williams Boosts the Runs Score; Madhevere Rebuilds the Charge
Sean Williams came onto the scene after team skipper Craig Ervine got bowled by Kaleemullah. Joylord Gumbie was the next to follow leaving Zimbabwe at 48 for 2. Wessly Madhevere will start from where his teammates stopped, rebuilding a rally to victory with 23 runs. Williams will return and Sikander Raza combined to deliver over 110 runs to shore up their huge score.
Fayyaz Butt kept Oman in the game by removing Raza and Williams later on; however, he couldn’t do much to stop the Zimbabwean charge. Oman had a decent wicket run in the encounter with nine wickets amassed compared to Zimbabwe’s seven taken.
Zimbabwe were still well on course for victory at 276/6 after the Butt charge with less than 6 overs to go. Luke Jongwe took his performance in the qualifying round to another level by hitting more runs to send the team onto a higher total. Jongwe got 43 balls from 28 balls, pushing the Zimbabweans tally to an impressive count.
Prajapati Leads a Late Charge for Oman
Kashyap Prajapati was out to spoil the Zimbabweans’ party with his stellar performances throughout the game. He will later combine with Aqib Ilyas, bringing their team-up tally to 83. Raza will step up after this charge to dislodge Aqib. He (Raza) also caused several problems for Zeeshan Maqsood, sending the skipper out with a hamstring injury from an attempted sweep.
The required rate didn’t let off and Prajapati seemed to lead a late charge towards chasing the huge tally. However, chances of a win turned bleak freom there when Raza ousted Prajpati with a breathtaking catch of Blessing Muzarabani.
Other star players like Shoaib Khan and Mohammed Nadeem gave their all in the final overs, but it wasn’t enough to dislodge a determined Zimbabwe team from securing victory.
Where Did the Zimbabwe-Oman World Cup Qualification Game Take Place?
The World Cup Qualification encounter between Oman and Zimbabwe took place in Bulawayo, an industrial city in southwestern Zimbabwe. This is the first match hosted by Zimbabwe in Bulawayo during this qualifying season. Zimbabwean cricketers showcased their skills on the topic, transitioning their hot form from other locations in the country to defeat Oman.
Final Score Brief
Zimbabwe 332/7 in 50 overs (S. Williams 142, L. Jongwe 43*; F. Butt 4/79, Kaleemullah 1/39) beat Oman 318/9 in 50 overs (K. Prajapati 103, A. Khan 47, A. Ilyas 45; B. Muzarabani 3/57, T. Chatara 3/73) by 14 runs.
