TAKASHINGA Patriots 1 lost to SOGO Rangers by 35 runs in the NPL T20 Blast final at Harare Sports Club on Saturday evening.
Rangers’ victory was proof of the T20 format’s inherent unpredictability.
Winning the toss, Takashinga Patriots 1 opted to field first, seemingly with a clear strategy in mind.
And when Munashe Chipara struck in the second over, sending back SOGO opener Mathew Campbell, it seemed like the Patriots were right on track.
However, Jayden Schadenfdorf (43) and Nicholas Welch (27) had other plans, stitching together a crucial 51-run partnership to steady Rangers’ innings.
Rangers’ batting mainstay, Matthew Welch, then took centre stage, top-scoring with 54 runs to propel his side to a competitive 180/5.
Patriots 1 on the other hand, were left to ponder what could have been, having allowed Rangers to get away with a few too many runs.
When Patriots came out to bat, they were immediately on the back foot, losing early wickets that disrupted their rhythm.
Joylord Gumbie’s exit in the third over for 17 was followed by the dismissals of captain Roy Kaia (1) and all-rounder Wellington Masakadza (0) in the very next over, leaving the scoreboard reading a precarious 33/3 after just four overs.
The early top-order collapse made it difficult for Patriots to forge meaningful partnerships, and despite Sikandar Raza’s valiant 37, which included five fours and a six, the required run rate continued to climb.
Raza’s dismissal, courtesy of Ryan Burl in the 13th over, dealt a significant blow to Patriots’ hopes.
Hamilton Masakadza did provide some middle-order resistance with a quickfire 29 off 19 deliveries, but his dismissal in the 18th overall sealed Patriots’ fate.
Blessing Muzarabani’s hard-fought 14 runs were a consolation in a losing cause, as Patriots were eventually bowled out for 145 in 19.1 overs.
In the end, it was the Rangers’ day. The NPL T20 Blast final may not have followed the script, but it was an advertisement for the T20 format, showing its inherent unpredictability and excitement.
As the players from both sides shook hands and exchanged warm words, it was clear that, despite the high stakes, sportsmanship and mutual respect had been the hallmark of the tournament.