Eagles won the Zimbabwe Domestic Twenty20 title for the second consecutive season on Sunday when they defeated Mid-West Rhinos by 62 runs in the final at Harare Sports Club.
Hard-hitting wicketkeeper batter Tadiwanashe Marumani hammered 52 off only 22 deliveries with five fours and three sixes to help Eagles reach 173 for eight after being put into bat.
The 21-year-old Zimbabwe international, who did not have the best tournament by his lofty standards delivered when it mattered the most. He shared a fifth wicket partnership stand of 52 runs with Tinashe Nyahunzvi, who contributed just eight runs, as the former singlehandedly took apart Rhinos’ bowling attack.
Veteran Prince Masvaure was the most successful of the Rhinos’ bowlers after claiming three wickets for 25 runs with his left-arm fast-medium bowling.
Rhinos never seriously threatened to reach the target after being reduced to 33 for six inside seven overs before being bowled out for 111 in 14.4 overs as Eagles cantered to a dominant victory.
Tashinga Musekiwa top-scored for Rhinos with a fiery 38 off 20 deliveries which featured six fours, batting at number nine before he was left stranded on the non-strikers’ end as wickets continued to tumble.
National team star Wessly Madhevere was named the Player of the Match after claiming three wickets for 15 runs in addition to contributing 29 runs of 25 deliveries with the bat.
Eagles’ victory in the final completed a remarkable turnaround after they recovered from a disappointing eight-wicket loss to Tuskers in the first match of the competition before winning four consecutive matches to reach the final for the second consecutive season.
The Harare-based provincial side’s victory in the Domestic T20 competition comes barely a week after they were confirmed the 2022-2023 champions in the country’s premier first-class cricket competition, the Logan Cup.
Scores in brief:
Eagles – 173/8 (20 overs)
Mid-West Rhinos – 111 all-out (14.4/20 overs)
Eagles won by 62 runs