SOGO Rangers crowned NPL T20 Blast 2024 champions with 35-run victory over Takashinga Patriots 1

ASHLEY DUBE 

SOGO Rangers – 180/5 in 20 overs (Mathew Welch 54*, Jayden Schadendorf 43; Wellington Masakadza 2/20)

Takashinga Patriots 1 – 145 all out in 19.1 overs (Sikandar Raza 37; Jonathan Campbell 2/2, Ryan Burl 2/25)

HARARE – SOGO Rangers are the champions of the 2024/25 NPL T20 Blast after the team secured a dominant 35-run victory over Takashinga Patriots 1 in the final at Harare Sports Club. 

Image: Zimbabwe Cricket 

Batting first, Rangers set a challenging target of 180 for five in their 20 overs. Matthew Welch anchored the innings with a composed 54 off 39 balls, while Jayden Schadendorf (43 off 29) and Nick Welch (27) provided valuable support. 

Rangers started well following Matt Campbell's early dismissal, with Welch and Shadendorf launching a fantastic counter-attacking innings, punctuated by a flurry of boundaries. 

They particularly targeted the pacers, with Nigel Chipurura conceding two massive sixes to Welch. However, a mini-collapse ensued once the spinners came into the attack. Shadendorf, Williams, Welch, and Jonathan Campbell all fell in quick succession. 

Ryan Burl and Matthew Welch then fought back with a strong 76-run partnership, setting a target of 181 for Takashinga 1.

Takashinga 1's fielding was a recurring concern throughout the game, with a few dropped catches and misfields adding to their woes. 

Wellington Masakadza was the pick of their bowlers, taking two wickets for 20 runs.

In response, Takashinga 1's chase faltered, as they were bowled out for 145 in 19.1 overs, falling 35 runs short of the target. Despite a promising start from Joylord Gumbie (17 off 10), Takashinga's innings quickly crumbled. Raza's 37 off 26 was a lone highlight, but it wasn't enough to revive their chase. 

Jonathan Campbell was a force with the ball for the Rangers, claiming two wickets for just two runs in a single over. Ryan Burl and Alistar Frost also contributed with two wickets each.

The Rangers' victory capped off an impressive debut season. Their dominance extended beyond the NPL T20 Blast, as they had also won all their matches against Takashinga 1 in the 45-over tournament.