Cricket

Zahirbhai Patel stars as Zambia cruises to victory over Lesotho

  • Authored By: Sports Now
  • Updated Oct 23, 2026, 16:00 IST

Zambia secured a dominant seven-wicket win against Lesotho in the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Sub Regional Qualifier C, led by a devastating 4/4 bowling spell from Zahirbhai Patel.

Zahirbhai Patel stars as Zambia cruises to victory over Lesotho

Zahirbhai Patel dismantles Lesotho batting lineup

Zambia produced a clinical bowling display to dismantle Lesotho for just 58 runs in Match 8 of the ICC Men's T20 World Cup Africa Sub Regional Qualifier C in Abuja. The victory was spearheaded by Zahirbhai Patel, whose exceptional spell of 4/4 from three overs left the Lesotho batting order in tatters at the NCF Oval 2. After Lesotho captain won the toss and elected to bat, they struggled to build any meaningful momentum against a disciplined Zambian attack. Mohmed Duvesh Patel provided the only real resistance, scoring 38 off 32 balls, while Chachole Tlali added 8 runs from 14 deliveries. Aside from those two, the rest of the lineup failed to make an impact, and the innings was wrapped up in just 13.4 overs.

Zambia overcomes early wobble to seal chase

Chasing a modest target of 59 for victory, Zambia encountered a brief moment of tension early in their innings. The side lost three wickets quickly, with the dismissal of Ismail Kara at 15 runs in 1.2 overs marking a potential turning point that could have invited pressure. However, the target proved too small for Lesotho to defend effectively. Jakir Patel steadied the ship, top-scoring with 22 off 17 balls, while Vasimakram Yakub Muhammad provided the necessary support to guide the team home. Zambia reached the required total in comfortable fashion, finishing on 61/3 to secure a seven-wicket win. Alongside the match-winning bowling performance from Zahirbhai Patel, Javid Patel also contributed to the overall team effort, ensuring Zambia maintained control throughout the contest to claim the result.