Zimbabwe reach yet another World Cup after conquering Kenya again, as Namibia await in the final for a second time

vimbayi makwavarara
Oct 2
2 min read

BY SPORTSCAST WRITER

HARARE – On 13 July this year, Zimbabwe beat Kenya 29-23 in the semi-finals of the Rugby Africa Cup in Uganda in the Sables’ successful quest for a place at the next Rugby World Cup in Australia in 2027.

On Thursday (2 October), the Zimbabweans have defeated Kenya at Harare Sports Club in the semi-finals of the T20 Cricket World Cup Africa Qualifier to book a place at the global showpiece in India and Sri Lanka early next year.

Just like three months ago, when the Sables edged the Kenyans in Kampala, it is Namibia who await in the final of the cricket in Harare on Saturday.

The Namibians cruised to a 63-run win over Tanzanian earlier in the day at Harare Sports Club in the first semi-final clash.

But unlike last year, both semi-final victors on Thursday qualify for the T20 World Cup before the final to decide the overall tournament winner on Saturday.

Namibia, on the rugby side, after their defeat to Zimbabwe in the Africa Cup final, will have to negotiate a four-team Repechage tournament with either Brazil or Paraguay joining Belgium and Samoa for the last remaining ticket Down Under in 2027.

As for Zimbabwe, they can bask in the glory of two World Cup qualification in the same year in two different codes: the rugby one, their first since the 1991 edition and the cricket one coming after miserably failing to qualify for the 2024 T20 World Cup in the United States and West Indies.

Kenya on Thursday afternoon totaled a measly 122-6 in 20 overs before the tournament hosts made light work of the target.

Once again, the hosts were spearheaded by the brilliant 21-year-old opening batsman Brian Bennett, who smashed 51 runs in 25 balls including four boundaries in an over.

Man-of-the-match Bennett concluded a memorable tournament in which his century against Tanzania in the last pool game made him the youngest international player in the world to score hundreds across all three formats of the game.