Zimbabwe Cricket scores first victory

[kartik]

ZIMBABWE Cricket last week scored its first victory of the new Franchise era, when Pakistan reaffirmed its commitment to the long-standing relationship with the association.

Speaking at a welcome reception for Pakistan’s Under-19 team at Harare Sports Club on Wednesday night, Pakistan’s Ambassador to Zimbabwe, Rifat Iqabal, expressed her pleasure at the strides made by the country’s cricketing body, adding that her countrymen’s arrival was a reinforcement of the already existing ties between the two countries.
“I am very happy to be here at this momentous occasion together with my countrymen and I believe this tour will act as a reinforcement of the traditional ties that already exist between our two countries not only in sport but in every facet of life,” said Ms Iqabal.
‘Pakistan and Zimbabwe already have long-standing relations in cricket that have seen other teams such as our national team and academies make the trip here and hope to continue as such as Zimbabwe goes through its transformation.”
The Pakistan team, who are two-time world champions at Under-19 level, are in the country for a two-week tour that will see them play six One-Day Internationals and two Twenty-20 matches in the capital.
The matches will be played at Harare Sports Club, St John’s and George’s colleges.
For his part, Zimbabwe Cricket chairman Peter Chingoka expressed gratitude and thanked Pakistan.
“As the ambassador said earlier, the tour will hopefully cement the already good ties that exist between our two countries and hopefully lead to better days,” he said.
Zimbabwe have since gotten off to a bad start after they went down by 129 runs in the opening ODI with Pakistan on Thursday at Harare Sports Club.
After winning the toss and electing to field, Zimbabwe saw their opponents race to a defendable 212 in 49,2 overs.
Razeem Rinjara and Ano Ravi were the top scorers for Pakistan with 35 runs each, while Roy Kahiya’s five for 25 runs was the pick of the bowlers for the hosts.
Earlier in the week, the Franchise system itself got its first taste of international flavour with the arrival of former Kenya cricket captain Steve Tikolo to join Masvingo-based franchise Southern Rocks.
Tikolo is the first of two Kenyans expected to join the franchise. The other is Thomas Odoyo.
Tikolo, a veteran of 122 ODIs and seven Twenty-20 matches, is argued to be one of the best batsmen in the world ever to have played a Test match.
He played his last ODI for his native country on August 22 against Canada.
His former teammate Odoyo is expected to arrive in Zimbabwe this week together with the Kenya national team who will be in the country for a four-day intercontinental cup clash against Zimbabwe A and three ODIs against the national side.







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[esatiya]

*Tikolo is argued to be one of the best batsmen never to have played test cricket