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Brandon Moyo, Sports Reporter

ZIMBABWE is a small country on a global scale with a population of only over 15 million and it shows in cricket as the country is no longer among the top 10 best T20 playing nations in the world. At the ongoing ICC Men’s T20 World Cup Zimbabwe will not only be remembered for beating Pakistan, a powerhouse that meets England in the final on Sunday, but for also fielding two players who have proved to be among the best bowlers in the world.

Having acquired the services of a new bowling coach, Englishman Steve Kirby just a few weeks before the start of the prestigious tournament, the move has proved to be a masterstroke as Blessing Muzarabani and Sikandar Raza have been recognised for their bowling prowess.

While the two are taking the accolades, all the Chevrons bowlers did not take long to adapt to Australian conditions, they used all the tricks in the book to get the job done, defending what to some may be under par scores in 20 over cricket.

With the curtains set to come down tomorrow, Zimbabwean bowlers have found themselves in the mix of the best in the tournament. The crop is led by the world number one bowler in the shortest format, Sri Lankan leg spinner Wanindu Hasaranga.

With 15 scalps under his name, the Lankan leggy is just three above Zimbabwe’s very own lanky fast bowler Muzarabani who is sitting on 12 wickets. The tall bowler managed to use his height and conditions to his advantage.

The seamer recorded the best figures of 3-23 and is not alone in the list of the best bowlers of the World Cup. With him in the top 10 is, unsurprisingly, Raza. The red-hot Raza finished with 10 wickets under his name and best figures of 3-19.
Raza is sitting in position seven with the same number of wickets as Sam Curran, Arshdeep Singh, Shaheen Afridi and Shabab Khan.

Blessing Muzarabani

Above Muzarabani sits Bas de Leede from Netherlands with 13 wickets while Joshua Little from Ireland, South Africa’s Anrich Nortje and Paul van Meekeren all with 11 wickets.

Despite not having recorded double figures, another impressive bowler for Zimbabwe in the tournament was left arm seamer Richard Ngarava who took nine wickets. Ngarava produced good tight bowling when needed like in the match against Pakistan where he only conceded 24 runs in his four overs.

Ngarava might not have topped the list of the most wickets taken, but he is among the best bowlers with the most dot balls. The 24-year-old finished with 89 dot balls and is sitting in second position, just four behind Fred Klaasen with 93. Muzarabani is also in the mix, sitting in position five with 71.

Raza’s 10 wickets were accompanied by 219 runs which saw him become, after Australian great Shane Watson, the second-ever player to take over 10 wickets and score over 200 runs at a World Cup.