Tony Munyonga’s unbeaten 43 runs led Zimbabwe to a three-wicket victory over Ireland in their T20 match, giving Zimbabwe a 1-0 lead in the series. Ireland scored 137 runs, but Zimbabwe successfully chased down the target with four balls to spare. The final match is set for Tuesday after an earlier game was abandoned due to rain.
An outstanding performance by Tony Munyonga, achieving an unbeaten 43 runs, propelled Zimbabwe to a three-wicket victory against Ireland during the second match of the Twenty20 series in Harare. With this victory, Zimbabwe secured a 1-0 lead in the series, with one match yet to be played. Rain had briefly interrupted Ireland’s innings as they managed to score 137 runs for the loss of 8 wickets.
The Irish innings featured a noteworthy partnership of 53 runs between Lorcan Tucker and Harry Tector, following opener Paul Stirling’s early dismissal for just one run. In response, Zimbabwe successfully chased down the target of 138 runs, finishing at 141 for the loss of 7 wickets, with four balls remaining in the match.
Zimbabwe’s captain, Sikandar Raza, expressed his satisfaction with Munyonga’s performance, commending him for consistently being one of the leading domestic scorers. He stated, “I’m really happy for Tony… and I’m delighted that he was judged man of the match. I hope this is the first of many outstanding performances from him.”
Conversely, Ireland’s captain Stirling acknowledged shortcomings in their innings, particularly in finishing strong. He remarked, “We did not finish our innings well. Then there was a great knock by the player of the match.” He also noted the return of Craig Young from injury, which bolstered the team.
Trevor Gwandu excelled with the ball for Zimbabwe, taking 3 wickets, while Raza and Richard Ngarava captured 2 wickets each. Ireland struggled in their closing stages, losing five wickets for just 36 runs, with Curtis Campher being the only other batsman to reach double figures.
As Zimbabwe began their batting, they faced early challenges, falling to 14-3. However, a vital 48-run partnership between Ryan Burl and Raza steadied the innings. Munyonga’s resolute batting, characterized by five fours off 30 balls, set the pace for the chase, although he fell just short of a personal best score for Twenty20 internationals.
In summary, Zimbabwe’s triumph over Ireland was significantly aided by Tony Munyonga’s performance. This victory gives Zimbabwe a 1-0 lead in the series, with the concluding match scheduled for Tuesday. The match highlighted both teams’ challenges, with Zimbabwe showcasing resilience in their batting despite early setbacks and Ireland’s struggles in the latter parts of their innings.
Original Source: www.hindustantimes.com
