NZ crushes Zimbabwe by 60 runs to keep perfect record at T20 tri-series

Harare: New Zealand stayed perfect at the T20 tri-series with a crushing 60-run win over host Zimbabwe on Thursday.

Tim Seifert (75) smashed his second successive half century and Rachin Ravindra made an entertaining 63 runs off 39 balls as New Zealand posted the tournament’s highest total of 190-6 with its fourth straight win of the league stage.

New Zealand and South Africa had already secured their places in Saturday’s final.

Leg-spinner Ish Sodhi, one of four changes for New Zealand, grabbed a career-best 4-12 in four overs as Zimbabwe was dismissed for 130 in 18.5 overs.

Zimbabwe lost all four games.

Supreme SeifertMitchell Santner became the first captain in the tournament to choose to bat first on a tricky wicket after winning the toss.

Tim Robinson (10) couldn’t capitalize on Ryan Burl’s dropped catch in the slips before he had scored and was out to Zimbabwe’s best bowler, Richard Ngarava (4-34).

Zimbabwe was scrappy in the field when Seifert got a lucky escape on 13 as Tony Munyonga missed a catching opportunity at deep backward square leg.

Together with Ravindra, Seifert raised 108 runs for the second wicket before Zimbabwe hit back.

Fast bowler Tinotenda Maposa had both Ravindra and Mark Chapman caught in the outfield in the space of three balls and Ngarava chipped in with three wickets in his return spell.

Seifert feathered a catch to wicketkeeper Clive Madande after Ngarava outfoxed him with a slower ball while Bevon Jacobs was spectacularly caught by Munyonga at backward point. Michael Bracewell made a 16-ball 26 and Trevor Gwandu (0-51) went for 21 runs off his final over.

“Different guys stepping up at different times is a good thing, although it can be a selection headache at times,” Santner said. We know we have a massive game in a couple of days’ time.”