NZ vs ZIM (6th Match) – Highlights
New Zealand produced a dominant all-round display to register a convincing 60-run win over Zimbabwe in the 6th match of the Zimbabwe T20 Tri-Series 2025, played at Harare on July 24. Spearheaded by a power-packed top-order effort and a clinical bowling performance, the Kiwis wrapped up the group stage in style and reaffirmed their status as favorites heading into the business end of the tournament.
NZ opted to bat first and quickly started to score through Tim Seifert’s explosive batting. Seifert would eventually be named Cricinfo’s MVP of the match, and in this innings, he gave the New Zealand innings momentum through his own 75 off 45 balls (9 fours and 1 six). He made a 108-run partnership through the 11th over with Rachin Ravindra, who also batted fluently through the innings and made his own 63 off 39 balls. They both gave New Zealand a great start and enough runs to post a very good total.
Although Zimbabwe managed to pull things back momentarily with the double strike of Ravindra and Chapman in the 14th over, NZ’s momentum didn’t dip much. Michael Bracewell chipped in with a quickfire 26 off 16, helping the team reach a formidable 190 for 6 in their allotted 20 overs. Richard Ngarava was the standout bowler for Zimbabwe, claiming 4 for 34, including the key wickets of Seifert and Robinson. Tinotenda Maposa also contributed with two wickets, but the rest of the attack was far too expensive to contain the Kiwi onslaught.
In response, ZIM crumbled under pressure against a disciplined and well-structured bowling effort from the visitors. Their top order was rocked early by the brilliance of Ish Sodhi, who spun a web around the batters with an exceptional spell of 4 for 12 in his 4 overs. His efforts earned him the Player of the Match award, and rightfully so, as his variations proved too much for Zimbabwe’s fragile middle order.
While Tony Munyonga showed some fight with a 30-ball 40, and Tashinga Musekiwa added a steady 21, Zimbabwe never really threatened the chase. The fall of wickets at regular intervals stalled any momentum, and by the time Munyonga fell in the 14th over, the writing was on the wall. Matt Henry and Zakary Foulkes supported Sodhi well, picking up crucial wickets at key moments. Foulkes, in particular, was impressive with his economy rate, conceding just 14 runs in his 3.5 overs and taking one wicket.
Eventually, ZIM were bowled out for 130 in 18.5 overs, handing New Zealand a comfortable 60-run victory. This result not only boosted New Zealand’s net run rate but also served as a warning to their opponents ahead of the final. Zimbabwe, on the other hand, will be left to reflect on their lack of batting application and inability to contain the Kiwi top order.
New Zealand vs Zimbabwe Scoreboard
New Zealand – 190/6 (20)
Zimbabwe – 130/10 (18.5)
Result – New Zealand won by 60 runs
Player of the Match – Ish Sodhi
Ish Sodhi
NZ vs ZIM Playing XIs
New Zealand | Tim Seifert (wk), Tim Robinson, Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Michael Bracewell, Bevon Jacobs, Mitchell Santner (c), Zakary Foulkes, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, Will O’Rourke |
Zimbabwe | Dion Myers, Brian Bennett, Clive Madande (wk), Sikandar Raza (c), Ryan Burl, Tony Munyonga, Tashinga Musekiwa, Wellington Masakadza, Tinotenda Maposa, Richard Ngarava, Trevor Gwandu |
Disclaimer: These Match highlights reflect the author’s insights and analysis. Readers are encouraged to consider the points discussed and form their own conclusions.
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