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In a game that kept you on the edge of your seat for
the final few overs, Zimbabwe’s last-ball victory over Ireland included
spectacular catches, dramatic shifts in momentum, and a fortunate inside edge.
In the first-ever international game played under
lights at the Harare Sports Club, Sikandar Raza performed a masterful job with
the bat and the ball to lead Zimbabwe to victory and a 1-0 series lead over
Ireland.
Not for what they did with the ball, though, as the
pace trio of Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani, and rookie Trevor Gwandu
would be praised as equally significant heroes in their dressing room.
After taking three wickets to limit Ireland to 147,
Raza calmly guided the chase with a 42-ball 65, despite some heated exchanges
with Ireland fielders and wickets tumbling at the other end. Paul Stirling made
a diving grab at cover to dismiss him in the 19th over, when Zimbabwe needed 11
off 9 and all of the starting hitters were back in the dugout.
When Ngarava and Gwandu could only muster three runs
off the opening three balls, Ireland appeared to have taken the lead. The
equation came down to nine off the final over. However, Ngarava used a leg-side
swipe to get a boundary, making it two required off two.
Sounds easy enough? Not quite that easy, though.
When Mark Adair sprinted back from short third to hold
on to a blinder, falling on his neck after a full backflip, the momentum
switched once more and he walked off. Muzarabani was now in striking position
and needed two runs off the final ball. To Zimbabwe’s dismay, however, the No.
11 received an inside edge that defeated Lorcan Tucker, giving the team the two
runs required to complete a thrilling victory.