Zimbabwe and Namibia continued to extend their winning streak in the T20 World Cup Africa Qualifiers with comfortable victories against Mozambique and Sierra Leone on Monday (September 13). Blessing Etim was the star of the day, taking four wickets without giving a run in her quota of four overs. In the first Group A fixture, Tanzania won the toss and opted to bat first. Fatuma Kibasu and Saum Mtae provided a steady start, adding 57 runs for the first wicket. However, once they fell, Rwanda bowlers kept taking wickets at regular intervals; eventually restricted Tanzania to 104 for eight in 20 overs.With the ball, Perice Kamunya gave Tanzania the early breakthroughs, sending both the Rwanda openers back to the pavilion. But it was Fatuma Kibasu and Zinaida Jeremiah who ran through the middle-order, taking seven wickets between them for 24 runs. They were all out for 61, handing a 43-run win to Tanzania.Meanwhile, Adri van der Merwe and Sune Wittmann started well for Namibia after being put in to bat by Sierra Leone. They put up a 57-run stand for the first wicket before the former got out to Fatu Pessima. Wittmann, however, went on to score a fifty, smashing 52 runs from 43 balls. ALSO READ: Beth Mooney wary of battle-hardened India as Australia look to shake off rust
Despite a mini-collapse in the middle-order, Jurriene Diergaardt's 21-ball 31 took Namibia to 144 for six in 20 overs. Zainab Kamara took three wickets for 25 runs in her four overs. Chasing close to seven runs per over, Sierra Leone openers added 26 runs before Namibia broke the partnership. With Namibia pegging away with wickets, they struggled to keep the chase alive. Sierra Leone scrapped their way to 87 for nine in 20 overs, falling short by 57 runs.Etim's record-equalling bowling figures stole the limelight in Nigeria's clash against Cameroon. Etim became the second bowler to bowl four maidens in a T20I. She also took four wickets, playing a crucial role in dismissing Cameroon for 47. Nigeria chased the target in 6.3 overs without breaking any sweat, completing a ten-wicket victory.In the other Group A encounter, Zimbabwe elected to bat first against Mozambique. Both Ashley Ndiraya and Modester Mupachikwa did not waste any time taking the attack to the bowlers. They added 96 runs in 9.1 overs before the Ndiraya got out for 31 runs from 26 balls. With Mupachikwa getting retired hurt, Josephine Nkomo took charge of the innings, smashing 56 runs from just 32 balls, taking Namibia to 205 for three in 20 overs.Though Palmira Cuinica scored 20 runs from 21 balls at the top for Mozambique, the rest of the batting fell like a pack of cards as they went from 25 for two to 34 all out with Isabel Chuma not available to bat. Precious Marange was the pick of the bowler for Namibia, taking four wickets for eight runs. Brief Scores:Tanzania - 104/8 in 20 overs (Saum Mtae 34; Margueritte Vumiliya 3/10) beat Rwanda - 61/10 in 16.5 overs (Cathia Uwamahoro 11; Fatuma Kibasu 4/13) by 43 runs.Namibia - 144/6 in 20 overs (Sune Wittmann 52; Zainab Kamara 3/25) beat Sierra leone - 87/9 in 20 overs (Marie Turay 18; Yasmeen Khan 3/10) by 57 runs.Cameroon - 47 all out in 19.3 overs (Nantia Kenfack 23; Blessing Etim 4/0) lost to Nigeria 48/0 in 6.3 overs (Kehinde Abdulquadri 16) by ten wickets. Zimbabwe - 208/3 in 20 overs (Josephine Nkomo 56; Cristina Magaia 2/29) beat Mozambique - 34 all out in 14.1 overs (Precious Marange 20; Precious Marange 4/8) by 177 runs.
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