ZIMBABWE all-rounder Anesu Mushangwe is now a Women’s Big Bash League (WBBL) winner after her team Adelaide Strikers, beat Sydney Sixers by 10 runs in the final yesterday in Sydney to win their maiden title.
The victory was built around West Indies all-rounder Deandra Dottin who scored an unbeaten 52 off 37 balls and bowled a double-wicket maiden to spark a wild celebration on a historic night in South Australian cricket history.
The Strikers finally shook off the perennial bridesmaids’ tag. Adelaide had lost their two previous finals, and it was the third time they had made the season finale in four years.
The historic night was more poignant for Zimbabwe’s legspinner, Mushangwe, who made her piece of history when she became the first Zimbabwean cricketer to appear in the WBBL.
Mushangwe was largely a peripheral figure during the campaign because the Strikers had a largely settled side in the bowling department.
She, however, grabbed her opportunity when Megan Schutt was injured and made a dream debut against Hobart Hurricanes Women as her team pushed for a play-off place.
Mushangwe was tasked with bowling the second over of her debut match and only conceded one run, a wide ball, spoiling what could have been a maiden over in her WBBL first match.
The Chitungwiza-born, Mushangwe could not be kept out of the match on her debut as she took a stinger of a catch to dismiss Lizelle Lee.
Her biggest moment came in the fifth over of that match when she took her first WBBL wicket for the Strikers, Rachel Trenaman being her first victim.
Mushangwe retained figures of 1 for 21 in 3.4 overs against Hobart Hurricanes Women with two catches to go with it.
With a winners medal on her neck, Mushangwe woke up today knowing that with her limited playing opportunities, she made a case for many girls back in Zimbabwe.
Big-hitting and former Zimbabwe opener Solomon Mire is the other Zimbabwean to have played in the BBL for the Melbourne Renegades in the 2013-14 season as a community rookie.
With some girls from Zimbabwe have played in the development league of WBBL, Mushangwe has given them something to aspire to and opened the world of unlimited possibilities.
