February 25
IRELAND TOUR OF ZIMBABWE, 2025
Ireland tour of Zimbabwe, 2025 - Series Digest
![Tony Munyonga once again impressed with a quickfire cameo [File photo]](/a/img/v1/595x396/i1/c619736/tony-munyonga-once-again-impre.jpg "Tony Munyonga once again impressed with a quickfire cameo [File photo]")
Tony Munyonga once again impressed with a quickfire cameo [File photo] © Getty
Zimbabwe claim series after another washout
Heavy rain for a major part of the day of the final T20I forced a no-result in Harare, which meant a series win for Zimbabwe who had won the second game of the series after a washout in the first game. Much like the series opener, this game also had the first innings completed, a shortened one at that as a delayed start meant an 18-overs-a-side game. With the pitch under covers for long and possibility of more rain, Ireland opted to bowl and their seamers relished the damp conditions with the new ball. Craig Young had Tadiwanashe Marumani nicking behind while left-arm spinner Matthew Humphreys castled Wessly Madhevere with one that came in sharply with the angle.
Sikandar Raza (34 off 27) started slowly but then found his range with a few boundaries and a huge six to give Zimbabwe some momentum. His 44-run stand with Brian Bennett put the hosts on track for a strong total but both fell in Gareth Delany's first over to derail the innings. Ryan Burl looked good once again but wasn't able to kick on as Ireland's bowlers chipped away at the wickets with street-smart bowling. However, Tony Munyonga (26 off 19) and Tashinga Musekiwa (26* off 17) put on a crucial 39-run stand off just 21 balls to give the perfect finish to the innings. Zimbabwe ended with a competitive total of 142 but the rain returned just as the innings ended, and the weather didn't relent thereafter.
Brief scores: Zimbabwe 142/6 in 18 overs (Sikandar Raza 34, Tashinga Musekiwa 26*; Craig Young 2-38) vs Ireland
February 23
Munyonga helps Zimbabwe take 1-0 lead
Zimbabwe's middle-order batter Tony Munyonga scored 43 off 30 - with five fours - to power his team to a 1-0 lead in the second T20I against Ireland in Harare. Ireland's Craig Young picked four wickets but couldn't be on the winning side as Zimbabwe chased down Ireland's 137/8 with three wickets and four balls to spare.
Ireland's essay was put together by the top-order trio of Lorcan Tucker (46), Harry Tector (28) and Curtis Campher (26) but Zimbabwe's collective bowling effort kept Ireland to a relatively small total. Young proceeded to make it seem a lot more than it was by reducing Zimbabwe to 14/3 in the fourth over, but the middle-order revived the chase. Sikandar Raza (22 off 27), Ryan Burl (27 off 20) and Tashinga Musekiwa (15 off 11) made vital contributions alongside Munyonga before Richard Ngarava (12* off 7) combined with the latter to see the home side through.
