Zimbabwe toppled Australia to avoid series whitewash in 2022 (x.com)

The Australian cricket team missed a chance to complete a 3-0 series sweep over a visiting Zimbabwe group back in September 2022. During Zimbabwe’s three-match ODI tour of Australia, the hosts won the first two fixtures with emphatic margins at Townsville to seal the series with a game to spare.

Here at OneCricket, we take a look back at Zimbabwe’s remarkable rearguard fightback in the third ODI against Aaron Finch’s near-invincible team that featured the likes of David Warner, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, and Glenn Maxwell, among others.

When Ryan Burl entangled ‘mighty hosts’ Australia

The Australian team, known for its perennial supremacy at home, were jolted by a struggling Zimbabwe group back in September 2022 at Townsville’s Riverway Stadium. Led by Regis Chakabva and inspired by Ryan Burl, Zimbabwe bowlers enveloped Australia’s star-studded batting line-up for just 141 in 31 overs after winning the toss and deciding to bowl first.

David Warner cracked 94 of those runs for Australia from just 96 deliveries with 14 boundaries and two sixes all while constantly losing partners from the other end. Zimbabwe’s new-ball pacemen Richard Ngarava and Victor Nyauchi both dismissed Aaron Finch and Steve Smith respectively within the first six overs before Brad Evans disallowed dangermen Alex Carey and Marcus Stoinis from settling in.

At 129-5, leg-spinner Ryan Burl mopped up Australia’s entire lower-half in just three overs to bag career-best ODI figures of 5-10.

Chasing 142 for a historic victory, Zimbabwe top-order batters overcame testing opening spells from Josh Hazlewood and Mitchell Starc first up. Hazlewood, in particular, eventually blazed through the visitors by dismissing three of their top four batters in the space of just two overs. Fast bowling all-rounders Marcus Stoinis and Cameron Green also chipped in with a wicket each as Zimbabwe slipped to 77-5 at one stage of the run-chase.

Fortunately for the visitors, captain Regis Chakabva led from the front with a composed 37* from 72 balls to steer his team to a tense three-wicket win. Ryan Burl, who picked up five wickets with the ball, also scored a handy 11 at number eight to cap a remarkable all-round and a ‘Player of the Match’ winning performance for himself.