Unbeaten New Zealand thrash Zimbabwe in T20 tri-series
Tim Seifert hit a second successive half-century and Ish Sodhi took four wickets as New Zealand beat Zimbabwe by 60 runs in their T20 tri-series match in Harare on Thursday.
New Zealand won all four matches in the round robin phase of the tournament. They will play South Africa in the final at the same venue on Saturday.
A career-best 4-wicket haul from Ish Sodhi (4-12) saw New Zealand claim a 60-run win in the final round-robin match of the Tri-Series.
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) July 24, 2025
Scorecard | https://t.co/0hMDEom5eE
Highlights will be available at Three📺
📷 = Zimbabwe Cricket #ZIMvNZ #CricketNation pic.twitter.com/rEgJKl8ixH
Seifert hit 75 in a New Zealand total of 190 for six –- the highest of the tournament -– and Sodhi took a career-best 4-12 as Zimbabwe were bowled out for 130.
Seifert and Rachin Ravindra (63) put on 108 for the second wicket to set up New Zealand for the highest total in the six round robin matches.
Zimbabwe scored 21 off the first two overs in reply before leg-spinner Sodhi came on to bowl in the third over.
He struck with his second ball and took three wickets for five runs in two overs in the powerplay.
Sodhi came back later to claim a fourth wicket and become the third player to take 150 wickets in T20 internationals on a list headed by fellow New Zealander Tim Southee with 164.
It was his fifth and least expensive four-wicket haul in the format.
Ish Sodhi! 😍 Today's career-best 4-12 from Ish Sodhi saw him claim his 150th T20I wicket for New Zealand, becoming just the 2nd BLACKCAP to reach the feat, after Tim Southee (164 T20I wickets). #ZIMvNZ #CricketNation 📷 = @photosportnz pic.twitter.com/dpTJRbFPL6
— BLACKCAPS (@BLACKCAPS) July 24, 2025
"It was nice to contribute in a slightly new role for me. I haven't bowled a lot in powerplays in my career," said Sodhi after being named player of the match.
"It was nice to put a score on the board batting first," said New Zealand captain Mitchell Santner who chose to bat on a pitch which has favoured teams batting second.
He said the number of players who had "put their hands up at different times" gave New Zealand a selection headache ahead of the final.
ZIMBABWE: Dion Myers, Brian Bennett, Clive Madande(w), Sikandar Raza(c), Ryan Burl, Tashinga Musekiwa, Tony Munyonga, Tinotenda Maposa, Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Trevor Gwandu
NEW ZEALAND: Tim Robinson, Tim Seifert(w), Rachin Ravindra, Mark Chapman, Bevon Jacobs, Michael Bracewell, Mitchell Santner(c), Zakary Foulkes, Matt Henry, Ish Sodhi, William ORourke
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