Throwing bat (Twitter)
During a game in Zimbabwe’s 50-over domestic competition, National Premier League 2024, the bizarre celebration of the batter caught everyone’s attention with the video of the same going viral on social media. The match between SOGO Rangers and Rainbow 1 Cricket Club turned out to be a thriller as the revised 45-over game boiled down to Rainbow needing four runs off the last ball.
The Rangers’ captain, Ryan Burl, delivered the final ball as Francis Sande smashed a maximum to take Rainbow’s over the line in a dramatic 230-run chase. It was Sande’s celebration that became the hot topic when he rolled his bat over before throwing it toward the umpire as the latter was hit on his leg. Sande did not stop there; he unleashed a frantic dance while the umpire signalled a six clutching his leg in pain.
Here’s the video of Sande’s unusual celebration:
The 𝐍𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐏𝐫𝐞𝐦𝐢𝐞𝐫 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐠𝐮𝐞 dishes out sissling hot action! 🙌🏻
Rainbow wanted 4 runs off the last ball against SOGO Rangers 🎥#NPL2024 pic.twitter.com/oj0bwT1X4Q
— Zimbabwe Cricket Domestic (@zcdomestic) July 31, 2024
Zimbabwe struggling to make it at international level
Zimbabwe have sunk further at the international stage as their anticipation of resurgence was marred by two back-to-back series defeats. Star all-rounder, Sikandar Raza was named as the new captain when India’s second-string team toured the country for a five-match T20I series after the T20 World Cup 2024. Though the hosts managed to win the first T20I, they tasted defeat in the rest of the games.
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Turning their head towards the red-ball cricket, Zimbabwe toured Ireland subsequently for the One-Off Test and eventually lost the game. The Chevrons will be hoping for better results when Pakistan will tour them for a white-ball series in November. They have three T20Is and as many ODIs to churn their lost charm at the international stage. Zimbabwe’s perpetual experiment with the opening pair was severely criticized by the experts during the India series and they will take hope from the shortcomings.