ZIMBABWE are eyeing a series win with an anticipated victory against Namibia this afternoon in the fourth match of the Castle Lite bilateral games at the United Cricket Club Ground, Windhoek.
The Chevrons lead the series 2-1 after coming from a match down, a humiliating seven-wicket defeat in the opening match.
Sikandar Raza then virtually carried the team on his shoulders with emphatic back-to-back half centuries in the second and third encounters.
The all-rounder pronounced his arrival in the ongoing tournament with a 36-ball 82 not out and 52 runs in the second and third matches respectively.
Zimbabwe won the succeeding matches by seven and six wickets respectively.
Raza is currently the series’ highest run scorer with 173 at an average of 86.5 from three innings so far while Namibia’s opener Nikolaas Davin is hot on his heels with 150 runs averaging 75 runs per match and compatriot Michael van Lingen a distant third with a total of 82 runs.
Spinner Gerhard Erasmus has been the most successful bowler in the tournament so far after taking six wickets for the hosts while three seam bowlers, Zimbabweans Richard Ngarava and Luke Jongwe and Jan Nicolaas Frylinck from Namibia have three wickets each.
Zimbabwe coach Dave Houton has given T20is debuts to Nick Welch in the first match of the series and Nyasha Mayavo in the second during this tour.
The Chevrons have two opportunities to win the trophy.
Should Namibia fight back and level the series today, the last match will have all to play for, but the Chevrons will certainly favour the first option of wrapping up the series today.
Zimbabwe are using this series to acclimatise to the Namibian conditions before the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup Africa Qualifier set for November.
Apart from Raza, Tinashe Kamunhukamwe showed some brilliance with the bat but just like Wessly Madhevere, failed to convert the positive stats into big scores.
The bowlers have often toiled; giving away many runs apart from the third game where they had better averages.
Today's match starts at 11 am.