Zimbabwe got their World Cup campaign on track with a huge 175-run victory over Canada in a Group A match in a near-empty Vidarbha Cricket Association (VCA) Stadium in Nagpur on Monday.
Relying on their slow bowlers, Zimbabweans easily defended a score of 298-8, with their five spinners sharing the wickets. Canada were all out for 123 in the 43rd over with Ray Price taking 3-16 and Graeme Cremer picking up 3-31.
Earlier, Zimbabwe batsmen Tatenda Taibu (98) and Craig Ervine (85) had put on 181 in a fine third-wicket partnership that took them to a challenging total against the North American team. It was Zimbabwe’s fourth-biggest win in ODIs by a runs margin and their most emphatic in a World Cup.
In the match Canadian opener Nitish Kumar, who became the youngest player to feature in the tournament’s 41-year history at 16 years, 283 days. Kumar beat the record set when Bangladesh’s Talha Jubair played against the West Indies in 2003 at 17 years, 70 days – and opened alongside the tournament’s oldest player, the 40-year-old John Davison.
Canada’s top scorer was Zubin Surkari, ninth out when stumped off Greg Lamb for 26, while their leg-break bowler Balaji Rao took 4-57.