In a stunning display of dominance, Zimbabwe’s cricket team concluded the group stage of the Cricket World Cup Qualifier 2023 with an unbeaten run, trouncing the USA in their final match.
The home side hammered the USA by an astounding 306 runs at Harare Sports Club, which is the second-largest win in ODI history (in terms of runs). India’s 317-run win over Sri Lanka is the biggest ever.
Zimbabwe, after being invited to bat first, unleashed a batting onslaught that left the USA helpless. The home side posted an unprecedented total of 408 runs for the loss of six wickets, marking their first-ever 400+ score in ODI history. The standout performer was Sean Williams, who hammered an extraordinary 171 runs off just 101 balls, including 21 boundaries and five sixes. Joylord Gumbie contributed a solid 78 runs, whereas Sikandar Raza and Ryan Burl smacked quickfire innings of 27-ball 48 and 16-ball 47 runs, respectively.
In reply, the USA batting lineup crumbled under the relentless pressure imposed by Zimbabwe’s bowlers, managing a paltry total of 104 runs in just 25.1 overs. The defeat suffered by the USA was not only their fourth-lowest ODI score but also their biggest defeat in terms of runs. Richard Ngarva and Sikandar Raza spearheaded Zimbabwe’s bowling attack, each claiming two wickets.
Struggling to mount a substantial response, only three American batsmen were able to reach double-digit scores. Abhishek Paradkar top-scored with 24 runs, while Jessy Singh contributed 21 runs.
Sean Williams, who led the hosts in the absence of Craig Ervine, was named player of the match for his terrific inning.
