TAKASHINGA 2’s campaign in the NPL T20 Blast suffered another setback as they lost by six wickets to Queens Sports Club at Masvingo Sports Club on Sunday.

Winning the toss and electing to bat, Takashinga 2 never found fluency at the crease. The innings opened with promise but quickly unravelled. Stand in skipper Kudzai Maunze fell second ball, bowled by Chris Mpofu without troubling the scorers.

Cephas Zhuwao, who briefly hinted at counter-attacking intent with 14 from as many balls, holed out to Tinaye Shayamano off Jeffrey Mhuriyengwe, leaving the innings wobbling. The middle order offered resistance, particularly Tafadzwa Mahachi’s 18 from 25 deliveries, but wickets kept tumbling in clusters.

Sheanopa Musekwa was the chief destroyer, exploiting the conditions with clever variations to claim four for 22 in his four-over spell. Supported by Mhuriyengwe’s two for 14 and Mpofu’s early breakthrough, Queens tightened the screws. From 37 for two in the fifth over, Takashinga 2 collapsed to 50 for five by the eighth, before eventually folding for 83.

The total never looked enough, but the Highfields-based outfit still tried to make a contest of it with the ball.

Takudzwa Chataira’s two for 21 briefly injected some hope as Queens lost their skipper Tanatswa Bechani for 12 and the in-form Shayamano for 19. When Petros Sithole fell for a first-ball duck, there was a flicker of pressure at 75 for four.

But Nkosana Mpofu anchored proceedings with an assured 32 not out from 36 deliveries, guiding Queens to their target in the 13th over alongside Munashe Chimusasa. The opening surge, 59 runs in the powerplay had already broken the back of the chase, and from there, Queens were never in danger.

For Takashinga 2, the batting unit, aside from Mahachi’s steady contribution, lacked partnerships or composure under pressure. The decision to bat first backfired as early wickets left them chasing stability that never arrived.