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Lawrence Moyo H-Metro Editor
ZIMBABWE are the only Test-playing team missing from the ICC World T20 tournament proper, which got underway last night, after failing to progress to the Super 10 stage.
A comfortable five-wicket win, with 38 balls to spare against whipping boys UAE, put Zimbabwe briefly on top of Group B but a sensational six-wicket win (with 37 balls to spare) by Netherlands over Ireland took the Dutch through to the tournament proper.

Netherlands, Zimbabwe and Ireland finished tied on four points but the Dutch clinched pole position on net run rate.

Zimbabwe were left ruing the last ball defeat to Ireland in their group opener and then letting the second game against Netherlands be decided off the last ball as the statistics worked against Brendan Taylor and company in the net run rate permutations.

Television requirements meant that yesterday’s final group matches were played one after the other, instead of simultaneously, as is the case with football.

This proved costly for Zimbabwe as they played first, allowing Netherlands and Ireland to know the permutations for qualification.

Knowing that they needed a big win to stand any chance of sneaking into the Super 10, captain Taylor opted to field after winning his first toss of the play-offs.

Where permutations come into play, batting second is ideal in that you play fully aware of the requirements.

On a pitch that did not offer much turn, Zimbabwe started with off-spinner Prosper Utseya while the impressive Tendai Chatara made things happen in the second over.

Chatara claimed a wicket off his second ball and then forced the UAE into a run out two balls later as his first spell of two overs cost just two runs.

His figures were however, ruined by a costly final over which went for two sixes and a single.

Tinashe Panyangara was costly again, conceding 19 runs off his first two overs before a good comeback in which his second spell went for just four runs.

He finished as the leading wicket taker for Zimbabwe.

All-rounder Sean Williams ended the stubborn third wicket partnership in the 10th over while Sikandar Raza bowled for the first time in Bangladesh and claimed a wicket in his first over.

Williams (3-15 in four overs) was the pick of the bowlers while Raza claimed two for 15 in three useful overs on a slow wicket as UAE wobbled to 116/9 off their allotted 20 overs.

Set a target of 117, Zimbabwe knew they needed to get the runs inside 15,4 overs to push their net run rate ahead of then group leaders, Ireland.

The permutations seemed to put pressure on the Zimbabwe batsmen and it later emerged that when their innings started, the information they had was that they needed to reach the victory target in 12 overs.

The pressure told and things were going horribly wrong for Zimbabwe as they slumped to 34/4 in the seventh over.

Elton Chigumbura came at number six and benefited from a dropped catch to make a match-winning 53 off 21 balls, ensuring that Zimbabwe got home in 13,4 overs and assume leadership of the group.

Taylor was honest after the match and conceded, as The Herald highlighted yesterday, that Zimbabwe had been disappointing at the tournament.

“It was nice to see the guys coming out and playing with freedom. We were a bit more clinical today, even if we did lose a couple of early wickets.

“We were clear on 12 overs but then later we found out it was 15.4 and that relieved us and Elton was the guy who did it for us. We generally underperformed, we’re a far better unit than that and hopefully we get more consistent in the future,” he said.

It was just important that Taylor made these comments even before the group decider between Ireland and Netherlands when Zimbabwe still had a chance of progressing to the next stage.

Zimbabwe lost it in the opening game against Ireland and as it turned out yesterday, depending on other results is never the way to go especially when faced with teams ranked lower.