ICC World Cup Qualifiers 2023: Super sixes game 6
Stadium: Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe
4 July 2023
Zimbabwe and Scotland are going head to head against each other at Queens Sports Club, Bulawayo, Zimbabwe on 4th July. This is the sixth game of the super sixes. Scotland has the chance of making it into the World cup with a win over Zimbabwe. Who will win this game?
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Zimbabwe had an impressive winning streak of five consecutive victories until their encounter with Sri Lanka in the previous match, where they suffered a convincing defeat by 9 wickets, with 101 balls remaining. Zimbabwe's performance was lackluster, managing to score only 165 runs and taking just one wicket from Sri Lanka's innings.
There is no denying that Williams has been the standout batsman for Zimbabwe throughout the tournament, amassing a remarkable total of 588 runs. His outstanding innings of 174 runs against the U.S.A. particularly contributed to this tally. He also emerged as the highest scorer for Zimbabwe in the match against Sri Lanka, making 56 runs, which speaks volumes about his performance.
Raza (291) and Ervine (257) have provided valuable contributions with the bat to support Williams, although they haven't been exceptionally impressive in the last two games. If Zimbabwe aims to defeat Scotland, they cannot solely rely on Williams.
Ngarava (13/288) and Raza (9/234) have shown promise in Zimbabwe's bowling attack throughout the tournament. However, Raza needs to step up his game as he has only managed to take 1 wicket for 84 runs in his last two matches. Ngarava will pose the biggest challenge for Scotland in this upcoming game.
Zimbabwe Predicted Lineup
Joylord Gumbie (wk), Craig Ervine (c), Sean Williams, Wessly Madhevere, Sikandar Raza, Ryan Burl, Luke Jongwe, Wellington Masakadza, Brad Evans, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani
Scotland
Scotland has exceeded expectations with a strong performance in the Super Six round, currently holding a 2-1 record. While their loss to Sri Lanka was predictable, they achieved impressive victories against Oman and West Indies, the latter of which resulted in the exclusion of West Indies from the World Cup.
Leading the batting charge for Scotland, McMullen (224 runs) and Berrington (220 runs) have been instrumental in their success. McMullen's exceptional innings of 136 against Oman and his crucial contribution of 69 runs against West Indies were key factors in Scotland's impressive display.
Despite Berrington's overall tally of 220 runs, he has only managed to score 23 runs in his last two games. Therefore, Scotland will rely on him to step up if they want to pose a serious challenge against Zimbabwe. Nevertheless, Scotland has witnessed unexpected performances from players like Leask (91* against Ireland) and Cross (74* against West Indies), who have played pivotal roles in their victories.
Greaves (12/178) and McMullen (10/130) have emerged as the most reliable bowlers for Scotland. McMullen's outstanding figures of 3/32 were crucial in their triumph over West Indies. It is also promising to see contributions from bowlers like Watt (8/199), who has played an important role alongside Greaves and McMullen in Scotland's bowling lineup.
Scotland Predicted Lineup
Matthew Cross (wk), Christopher McBride, Brandon McMullen, George Munsey, Richie Berrington (c), Tomas Mackintosh, Michael Leask, Chris Greaves, Mark Watt, Safyaan Sharif, Chris Sole
Expert betting tips
Batsmen have a strong preference for this pitch due to its consistently low bounce and limited movement, while proficient spinners have also enjoyed a good turn on this surface in previous matches. Considering the history of this venue, where scores exceeding 400 have been achieved, it is anticipated that this game will be high-scoring. Zimbabwe struggled against Sri Lanka and we expect the same scenario to be played out in this game. Expect Scotland to win and make a stride towards finals.