New Zealand cruised to an eight-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the T20I tri-series, tightening their grip on the top spot in the points table. The chase was wrapped up in under 14 overs after their bowlers held Zimbabwe to just 120.
It was Zimbabwe’s second consecutive loss, and with only two matches remaining, the hosts are now facing elimination unless they win both upcoming fixtures.
Bowling Dominance Sets the Tone
Matt Henry picked up 3 for 26, following his earlier figures of 3 for 34 against South Africa. This time, Henry exploited the short ball to good effect, while New Zealand’s spin trio of Mitchell Santner, Michael Bracewell, and Rachin Ravindra chipped in with a wicket each, conceding only 43 runs across nine overs.
Zimbabwe never truly recovered from a middle-order collapse that saw them lose five wickets for just 37 runs. The innings ended with 21 runs scored in the final three overs and little resistance from the tail.
Madhevere Shows Intent but Falls Short
Opening batter Wessly Madhevere provided a brief spark for Zimbabwe. He struck two early boundaries off Matt Henry and Jacob Duffy, showing rare aggression. He managed to reach 36—his highest score in over a year—but was bowled while attempting to make room against Adam Milne.
Zimbabwe’s best partnership came at the top of the innings, with Madhevere and Brian Bennett putting on 37 runs. But no other pairing managed to stabilize the innings.
Clive Madande, Sikandar Raza, and Ryan Burl all fell during the middle-order collapse. Attempts to counterattack were met with sharp fielding and tight lines from New Zealand.
Top Order Delivers Again
In reply, New Zealand lost Tim Seifert early, but Devon Conway and Rachin Ravindra stitched together a solid 59-run stand. Ravindra added 30 before Conway found another partner in Daryl Mitchell. The duo added 58 runs off just 32 balls to finish the chase without further loss.
Conway, who was dropped twice and had a couple of streaky moments early on, found rhythm as the innings progressed. He hit two sixes and brought up his half-century off 34 balls. This was his highest T20I score since last year’s World Cup and just his second fifty in the last 15 T20I innings.
Zimbabwe’s Missed Opportunities
Despite the loss, Zimbabwe had their moments. Early pressure from Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani nearly created breakthroughs. Seifert edged one behind in the first over, and Conway offered a couple of chances that went unclaimed.
Maposa, brought in as a seamer in place of spinner Wellington Masakadza, bowled with pace but couldn’t convert chances. His only wicket came from a mistimed pull by Conway that landed safely.
Zimbabwe’s field placements and dropped catches allowed New Zealand to settle. A misfield and missed run-out opportunity further deflated the home side’s chances.
What’s Next
New Zealand sit at the top of the table with two wins and a healthy net run rate of 1.919. Zimbabwe, yet to earn a point, must now beat both South Africa and New Zealand to stay in the race for the final.
That won’t be easy. Their batting remains inconsistent, and questions linger about the team balance after leaving out a frontline spinner on a turning surface.
If Zimbabwe can’t find solutions quickly, their home series might end earlier than expected.
