 "CWC Qualifier Day 3 Report: ZIM win courtesy 'Razball', Nepal thanks to KC")
Sikandar Raza hit a six on the fifth ball of the 41st over when he was batting on 96 and Zimbabwe needed three runs to win the game against the Netherlands at the Harare Sports Club in Harare. It was after this incident that the term Razball was coined by commentators Ian Bishop and Pommie Mbangwa. It was indeed Razball as Raza did almost everything, be it picking up four wickets with the ball or hitting a century to chase down 316.
Sikandar Raza: Fastest century by any Zimbabwean and a four-wicket haul
Chasing 316 was never going to be easy even as Zimbabwe had chased down 282 in their last game against Nepal. Last match’s heroes Craig Ervine scored 50 off 48 while Sean Williams was out for 91. Joylord Gumbie scored 40 and Wessely Madherve only 10. The 37-year-old Raza was in an altogether different mood as he went on an all-out attack.
He added 84 with Williams and an unbeaten 86 with Ryan Burl to take his country home. On the way, he hit his hundred in only 54 balls. This was the fastest-ever ODI century by a Zimbabwea. The Pakistan born scored his last 52 runs in just 18 balls having brought up his fifty in 36.
Earlier in the day, after winning the toss and deciding to bowl first, Zimbabwe were made to work hard. The Dutch openers, Vikramjeet Singh and Max O'Dowd added 120 for the first wicket. It was Raza to the rescue as he bowled O’Dowd over to break the opening stand. The off-spinner went on to pick three more wickets and finish with his best-ever bowling figure of 4/55 in ODIs. Netherlands reached 315 courtesy Singh's 88, O'Dowd's 59 and Scot Edwards' 83.
Karan KC does it for Nepal with the ball
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Nepal, after losing to Zimbabwe in their first match, beat the United States of America in their second to remain in the race for a top-three finish in group A. Karan KC was the hero with the ball for the Nepalese team as he picked up 4/33 in his nine overs to restrict the US to a meagre 207 in 49 overs.
100 for Shayan Jahangir
Shayan Jahangir became the second USA batter in the CWC Qualifier to hit a century after Gajanand Singh achieved the feat in the team’s opening encounter against West Indies. Jahangir, the Pakistan-born wicket-keeper batter of the US hit 10 fours and three sixes in his 79 ball 100 not out. He had various partnerships, the biggest being 42 runs with Jessy Singh for the eighth wicket.
Bhim Sharki guides Nepal in the chase
Bhim Sharki showed the class he is capable of as he hit an unbeaten 77 to guide his team to the target of 208 with seven overs remaining. Sharki batted for 114 balls and hit seven fours and one six in his knock. Sharki built important partnerships of 39 (with Kushal Bhurtel), 38 (with Rohit Paudel) and an unbeaten 74 with Dipendra Singh Airee to get his team home.
With this win Nepal now have two points on the board and occupy the third position in the points table in group A after Zimbabwe and West Indies.