Ntirenganya takes five as Rimuka beat Gladiators in Zimbabwe’s NPL T20 Blast
RWANDA’S Ignace Ntirenganya took five wickets on his debut in Zimbabwe’s National Premier League (NPL) T20 Blast, helping Rimuka beat Gladiators by seven runs in Harare on Thursday.
Ntirenganya finished with figures of five for 18 from four overs. Rimuka defended 143 for nine, and Gladiators ended on 136 for eight. He was named Player of the Match.
He is one of eight cricketers from Rwanda, Uganda, Nigeria and Tanzania placed at Zimbabwean clubs for this year’s tournament. Zimbabwe Cricket (ZC) says the programme is meant to give emerging players from African associate nations regular competitive matches in different conditions.
The opening fixture featured two of the eight visiting players. Tanzania’s Laksh Bakrania played for Gladiators and took one wicket.
Ntirenganya’s spell decided the chase. He removed Brendon Sunguro for nine and Tony Munyonga for 20, leaving Gladiators on 42 for three inside six overs.
Captain Milton Shumba and Panashe Taruvinga then added 50 from 49 balls for the fourth wicket. Ntirenganya ended the stand when he bowled Shumba for 22, with the score on 92.
Taruvinga kept Gladiators in the contest with 44 from 40 balls. Nkosilathi Nungu dismissed him in the 19th over with the score on 122 for six.
Ntirenganya bowled the final over and took two more wickets, dismissing Victor Nyauchi for six and Phase Mukabeta for one.
Nungu finished with two for 28. Victor Chirwa took one for 20 from three overs.
During the chase, Sunguro reached 2,000 runs.
Earlier, wicketkeeper Nyasha Mayavo scored 36 from 21 balls, and Rimuka reached 57 for one after the powerplay. They then lost wickets steadily after Mayavo was dismissed with the score on 65 in the eighth over, and fell to 87 for six in the 12th.
Tendai Chisoro’s unbeaten 34 from 27 balls took Rimuka to 143 for nine. Arineshto Vhezha, Owen Muzondo and Munashe Zata each took two wickets for Gladiators. Mukabeta, Nyauchi and Bakrania took one each.
The other six visiting players are spread across the competition:
Uganda’s Gerald Olipa (Takashinga Patriots 1) and Juma Miyaji (Old Hararians)
Nigeria’s Elijah Saturday Jimmy (Queens) and Prosper Buden-Ikpe Useni (Mbizo)
Rwanda’s Oscar Manishimwe (Eastern Titans)
Tanzania’s Dhrumit Atul Mehta (Sogo Rangers)
The invitations were issued by ZC managing director Givemore Makoni and chairman Tavengwa Mukuhlani. Mukuhlani also chairs the Africa Cricket Association and is deputy chairperson of the International Cricket Council.
