That is the coverage of the Match 7 of Zim Afro T10 . For now, this is me Aditya Agarwal signing off on behalf of my co-commentator Deepak Prakash, who, alongside our scorer/analyst Yogesh Kumar brought you all the live action of this fixture. We will meet again. Until then, cheers!
Dasun Shanaka (Harare Bolts Captain & Player of the Match): "Yeah, I’m really happy with how I was able to contribute today. I’ve got the power-hitting ability, and I knew the timing had to be right. So, I waited until the end, and I’m really pleased with how it turned out.
Look, we need to give the wicket some time and carefully assess it. So, I took my chance and kept my nerve until the end. eah, I’m really happy with how things are going for us, especially the bowling unit. You know, in the last three games, they’ve done a fabulous job."
Sikandar Raza ( Bangla Tigers Jobourg Captain)- " I think we played really well, it wasn't just our day. I think he (Dasun Shanaka) played really well today and took the game away from us. Regardless whether we bat first or bowl first in the next game we have enough depth in our bowling as well as batting department and we have it in ourselves to bounce up from here."
Player of the Match: Dasun Shanaka
Power Hitter of the Match: Dasun Shanaka
Catch of the Match: Shehan Jayasuriya
Moment of the Match - Brandon Mavuta
Time for the post-match presentation!
8:25 PM IST, 4:55 PM Local Time: A scintillating knock from Dasun Shanaka, and he takes his side across the line in style! Harare Bolts thumped the Bangla Tigers Joburg in a last-over thriller by four wickets to return to the winning ways.
Earlier, after being invited to bat first, Bangla Tigers Joburg got off to a shaky start, losing both their openers, Hazratullah Zazai and Chris Lynn, for four runs each. Sikandar Raza came out all guns blazing and delivered a cameo of 8-ball 20 runs, but the Bangla Tigers lost wickets regularly and eventually were bundled out for 90 runs in 9.4 overs.
Jimmy Neesham shone with the ball for the Bolts, grabbing three wickets. Brandon Mavuta and Richard Gleeson chipped in with a couple of wickets, while Jayasuriya, Shanaka, and Arinesto Vezha contributed one wicket each to Bangla Tigers Joburg's downfall.
In response to 90 runs, Harare Bolts' openers departed without making a significant impact. George Munsey came out all guns blazing but departed for just 10 runs off 5 balls. The Bolts kept losing wickets at regular intervals but their skipper, Dasun Shanaka scored briskly, keeping the run rate in check. The equation was down to 24 runs off 8 balls, and the Sri Lankan all-rounder held his nerve in the crunch situation. He tonked an unbeaten 50 runs off just 21 balls and sealed the game with a six with two balls to spare.
Karim Janat bagged a couple of wickets for the Bangla Tigers, while George Linde, Sikandar Raza, and Adam Milne celebrated a solitary wicket.
6 Shanaka finishes things off in style! Harare Bolts win the match by 4 wickets and 2 balls to spare. Dasun Shanaka also brings up his fifty in just 21 balls. Coming to the delivery, Luke Wood bangs it short around off, Shanaka stays deep in his crease and pulls it firmly over cow corner for a massive match winning six.
Shanaka is leading from the front. Two streaky boundaries but the skipper won't mind it. 5 needed off 3 balls.
9.3 L Wood to D Shanaka
4 FOURR MORE!! This is surely Shanaka's day! Luke Wood bowls it full and outside off, slower one, Shanaka tries to heave it away but gets a top edge and the ball flies over short third man and skips away for a four. Just 5 runs required now!
9.2 L Wood to D Shanaka
4 FOURRR!! Fortunate for Shanaka. Full delivery wide outside off, Shanaka throws his hands at it and gets a thick outside edge and the ball flies between keeper and short third man for a boundary. 9 required now!
9.1 L Wood to F Akram
1 Shanaka is back on strike! Full delivery angling into the stumps, Akram gets it off the inside half of the bat back onto the pads, and the batter will steal a single.