Zimbabwe’s capital, HARARE Ireland Women defeated Zimbabwe by 14 runs in the last game to win the 5-0 T20 international series. They did this by displaying an amazing comeback with the ball, at one stage taking 6-7 in 17 balls.
For the second straight game, Orla Prendergast took home the Player of the Match award after scoring 42 runs and capturing 3-24 with the ball. Joanna Loughran, a 19-year-old wicketkeeper-batter who made her debut for her country, was also made of memory on that day. Ava Canning, a teammate from Leinster, gave her the cap prior to the match.
After losing the toss, Ireland was put to the test and quickly lost Amy Hunter (1). But Ireland set themselves up to achieve a competitive score thanks to a 64-run partnership between Gaby Lewis (42) and Prendergast (42). Prendergast took a more aerial route and scored three maximums, while Lewis struck the boundary seven times. Both players appeared to be getting more at ease on a worn-out field.
But Zimbabwe struck back with the ball, and with the removal of Lewis, Prendergast, and Laura Delany (18), the visiting team scraped together a meager 138-7.
The home team, which gave 15-year-old Beloved Biza his debut, responded by attacking from the first ball. Captain Mary-Ann Musonda and exciting youngster Kelis Ndhlovu opened the attack, scoring 77 off the first 71 balls for the first wicket.
Musonda, who participated in the Evoke Super Series for the Scorchers in Ireland last summer, went on to make her fourth half-century in T20Is, but Leah Paul eventually broke through in the 12th over when she bowled Ndhlovu (32)—the hosts winning 77-1.
Musonda attempted to maintain the requisite run rate until Prendergast bowled him for 52, which proved to be the game-winning stroke. The Zimbabwean batting lineup collapsed after the skipper was removed, losing from 99-1 to 106-7 in less than three overs.
The Irish side went for the kill with accurate fielding that resulted in a runout. Prendergast’s pick-up and throw from deep beat the batter and basically killed any residual outside chance Zimbabwe had. As the wickets fell, so did the run rate. It was only natural that captain Delany (3-17) bowled the final over to complete the tour’s historic 5-0 rout.
India
