CWC Qualifiers: Twin tons help Zimbabwe outclass Nepal in opener
What's the story
Zimbabwe have begun the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifiers in great fashion as they register an eight-wicket win over Nepal at the Harare Sports Club.
Knocks from skipper Craig Ervine and Sean Williams and a brilliant spell from Richard Ngarava saw the hosts dominate Nepal in their opening fixture.
Ervine and Williams slammed tons and chased down the target of 291 in 44.1 overs.
Summary
How did the match pan out?
Nepal batted first and their openers Kushal Bhurtel and Aasif Sheikh added 171 runs. Both the batters scored fifties and laid the platform for a big score. Kushal Malla (41) and Rohit Paudel (31) played decent cameos to post 290/8.
Zimbabwe in reply took only 44.1 overs to chase down the target. Ervine and Williams both slammed tons and stitched a 163-run stand.
Bhurtel
Bhurtel smashes a decisive 99
Bhurtel played an exceptional hand for Nepal and was the main man for them in posting a total of 290.
However, he missed out on his second ODI ton by a single run. This was Burthel's sixth ODI fifty as he stitched a 171-run opening stand with Aasif.
Overall, he has amassed 867 runs in 39 ODIs at 23.43.
Aasif
Brilliant hand from Aasif Sheikh
Aasif also batted with aplomb for his 100-ball 66 and was involved in that stunning 171-run opening partnership with Bhurtel. Besides his ninth ODI fifty, he has also smashed a solitary ton.
Overall, he is the second-highest run-scorer for Nepal in ODIs. He has amassed 1,147 runs in 38 ODIs at an average of 32.77. Only Paudel (1,357) is ahead of him.
Ngarava
Career-best figures for Richard Ngarava
Zimbabwean pacer Ngarava registered his best ODI figures of 4/43 in nine overs.
Overall, the 25-year-old has scalped 37 wickets in 33 ODIs and owns an economy of 5.27.
Notably, this was his first ODI four-wicket haul.
Ngarava dismissed the likes of Paudel, Aarif Sheikh, Gulshan Jha and Bhim Sharki.
Ervine
Ervine smokes his fourth ODI hundred
Ervine played a captain's knock as he started cautiously and then as the innings progressed, he started playing his shots fearlessly.
He slammed his fourth ODI hundred. His knock of 121* saw him race to 3,156 runs in 111 ODIs at an average of 33.57.
This is his second-best score in ODIs, just behind 130* against New Zealand.
Williams
Williams hammers his sixth ODI ton
Williams was exceptional for Zimbabwe as he slammed a 70-ball 102* and turned the match on its head. He stitched a sensational 164*-run stand alongside Ervine.
Williams, who made a 70-ball hundred, slammed the fastest ODI hundred by a Zimbabwean.
Overall, Williams has amassed 4,488 runs in 150 ODIs at an average of 35.90.
He is the sixth-highest run-scorer for Zimbabwe in ODI cricket.