ZWE vs NAM 1st T20I match prediction 17 May 2022

ZIM vs NAM 1st T20I Predictions & Betting Tips

Namibia have travelled to Zimbabwe for a 5-match T20I series starting May 17 at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo from 4:30 PM IST. It's a start of new rivalry in international cricket as the two teams have never met each other in the format earlier.

The next four matches in the series will be played on May 19, May 21, May 22 and May 24 at the same venue. Zimbabwe are placed 11th, while Namibia 16th in the latest ICC T20I rankings for teams. Ahead of the clash, let's have a look at the best team and player bets from the ZIM vs NAM head-to-head encounter.

ZIM vs NAM Team Bet:

Mentioned below is the top team bet from the ZIM vs NAM head-to-head contest.

Namibia to win

Among the two teams Zimbabwe are the more experienced team at the international level but the incompetence of their cricket board and the resultant ban by ICC in 2019 which barred them for playing in major ICC events has seen their quality deteriorate further. Zimbabwe won their last two matches but that was in September 2021. The team hasn't played in the format since then. They played a total of 17 T20I matches in 2021, losing 11 out of them. Teams like Scotland and Ireland also defeated them comprehensively on more than one occasion during the period. Namibia, on the other hand, have lately impressed one and all in the cricketing universe. The side scripted history in the T20 World Cup 2021 by Qualifying for the Super 12 for the first time by hammering Ireland by eight wickets. Namibia made their T20I debut only in 2019 and it took them just 25 matches to achieve the feat. The Gerhard Erasmus-led side were last seen playing a 3-match T20I series against Namibia in April this year. They won the series with a 2-1 scoreline. Namibia have won 23 out of their 33 T20I matches so far. The likes of captain Erasmus, Jean-Pierre Kotze and all-rounder JJ Smit are in form and are expected to give a tough time to the opposition which relies heavily on Sikandar Raza. Namibia look the clear cut favourite to beat Zimbabwe and if you feel the same, head over to Pari Match and place your bet on Namibia from the ZIM vs NAM head-to-head encounter.

ZIM vs NAM Player Bets:

Gerhard Erasmus and Sikandar Raza are my top two player betting tips for the ZIM vs NAM 1st T20I match. Have a look at it for reaping the best returns.

Gerhard Erasmus to score over 20.5 runs

Namibia captain Gerhard Erasmus has looked good during his recent three T20I outings, scoring 4, 100* and 27*. The 27-year-old was the team's main man in the ICC Men's Cricket World Cup League 2 as well. The all-rounder scored 271 runs including a hundred and a fifty in the five matches there. Gerhard Erasmus led his team to a historic 8-wicket win against Ireland which saw Namibia qualify for the Super 12 round in their very first attempt. Erasmus had contributed with 53 unbeaten runs in the match. He had also played a pivotal role in Namibia's first win during the group stage. Chasing 165 against the Netherlands, Namibia lost three early wickets. However, their captain scored 32 off just 22 balls and stitched a 93-run partnership for the fourth wicket to help Namibia win with six wickets and an over to spare. The Windhoek-born, who averages 34.95 after 33 T20Is, looks set to score high against an unsettled Zimbabwe squad. Keep an eye out for Peter Moor on Gerhard Erasmus from the ZIM vs NAM 1st T20I head-to-head contest.

Sikandar Raza to score impeccably

With an experience of 170 matches for Zimbabwe, Sikandar Raza holds the key for the hosts. The 36-year-old batting all-rounder was top performer for Zimbabwe A in the recently-concluded 5-match T20 series. Raza-led team lost 1-4 but the captain finished as hosts' leading run-scorer (third overall) with 129 runs at an average of 25.80 and strike rate of 137.23. In the second T20, Sikandar Raza scored a valiant 42-ball 82. With five wickets to his name, he was also the second most successful bowler for his team. These performances will give a lot of confidence to Raza when he comes out in the park against Namibia. Raza carries a decent record at the Queens Sports Club in Bulawayo. In the four matches Raza has played at the venue, he has scored 125 runs at an average of 31.25. The Pakistan-born last played a T20I match there in 2015 and will look to celebrate his return to the stadium in some style. Our affiliate partner Pari Match should offer the best of odds from the ZIM vs NAM head-to-head encounter.

My Pick:

Namibia to win - @ 2.52 (Pari Match)

Sikandar Raza to score impeccably

Gerhard Erasmus to score over 20.5 runs - @ 1.87 (Pari Match)