Sinokubonga Nkala
Eddie Chikamhi ,Zimpapers Sports hub
TOP-ORDER batter Brian Bennett believes that his team needs to maintain its momentum to secure the T20I series against Afghanistan.
The second match will take place today at Harare Sports Club. With a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, Zimbabwe has the opportunity to clinch a rare T20I series win, having defeated Afghanistan by four wickets in the first match on Tuesday.
The Chevrons have won their previous two T20I matches, including a close match against Pakistan in their last series held in Bulawayo.
Despite his personal achievement of being named Man of the Match in both recent games, Bennett emphasised that it will require a significant amount of hard work and dedication from the entire team to secure a series victory.
“Obviously, winning the T20 last week gave us momentum coming into this week. So, to win the first game against Afghanistan and to start the series with a win gives confidence.
“But you know what? There’re still two more games to go, so there’s still a lot to work on,” said Bennett.
The Chevrons last won a T20I series almost two years ago when they beat Ireland 2-1 at Harare Sports Club. But they failed to clinch a win in the subsequent six series, despite coming close on occasions.
Bennett is slowly establishing himself in the team. His knock of 43 runs won him the Man of the Match against Pakistan at Queens Sports Club last week. But it came a bit late as Zimbabwe lost the series 2-1.
But on Tuesday he was more focused with a run-a-ball 49, which again turned out to be a Man of the Match performance.
The 21-year-old, together with Tinotenda Maposa (21), Tashinga Musekiwa (24), Dion Myers (22) and wicketkeeper/batsman Tadiwa Marumani (22), are regarded as the future of the Zimbabwe team.
“I did make my debut last year in December, so I’ve been in the national set-up for a year now. So, you know what; I’m still young,” said Bennett.
“I’m still learning with each game as well. And it’s nice to have the senior guys in camp helping you and just learning. There are good experienced coaches as well.
“I’ve still got a long way to go. So, there’s still a lot more learning to do,” said Bennett.
Senior players like Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani and skipper Sikandar Raza are expected to guide the younger players in the setup.
Ngarava was the pick of the Zimbabwe bowlers in the last match with figures of 3/28. If he could provide the same kind of leadership, the Zimbabwean bowlers could achieve more today.
Zimbabwe also need to work on their batting inconsistencies, which at times have resulted in familiar collapses.
However, Afghanistan are not easy opponents for Zimbabwe, especially in this format. Out of the 16 games played between these two nations in almost two decades, Zimbabwe have only been able to beat Afghanistan twice.
Chevrons skipper Raza believes the win on Tuesday could spur on his side.
“Zimbabwe needed that victory,” he said.
“We really needed it for the changing room and for the fans to start believing. A win like that basically will tell us where we went wrong.
“Sometimes, the result is not in our control. We have agreed to give it everything we have for the nation,” said Raza.
Afghanistan will be eager to turn the tables and keep the series alive. The Afghans have the personnel to do that with several seasoned campaigners in their squad such as Rashid Khan, Rahmanullah Gurbaz, Hazratullah Zazai, Mohammad Nabi, Fazal Haq Farooqi and frontline spinner Mujeeb Ur Rahman, among others.
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