(Co-written by Seun & ChatGPT — still warming up but already feeling the heat of the city and the cricket)
The day started earlier than I'd planned. I was woken up by sirens blaring every five minutes. Turns out, the noise was from police escorts ferrying politicians into Harare's CBD. The convoys glided past in luxury cars, a sharp contrast to the backdrop of struggle.
After catching up on some office work, I headed out to the pitch around 1:00 PM and made it just in time to see the first ball.
Today's action was Nigeria's warm-up showdown with Tanzania at Takashinga Cricket Club. The match began at 1:50 PM
under a relentless Harare sun that refused to share the stage with even a single cloud.
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? On the Field
Nigeria were bowled out for 83 runs in 17.4 overs, and Tanzania chased it down in 19.2 overs with just one wicket to spare (84 for 9). Low totals on both sides told the story of a tricky pitch, but it was still a tight finish — full of fight, drama, and nerves.
Standout performances included:
- Isaac Danladi (Nigeria): 31 runs off 33 balls — a real class act…. steady and promising.
- Peter Aho (Nigeria): 3 wickets with an economy around 4.50 — disciplined bowling.
A warm-up, yes, but it felt like more than that. The boys showed fight and flashes of brilliance — enough to hint at bigger things when the real games begin.
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? Off the Field
My ride back turned out to be just as memorable as the cricket. Our InDrive driver was pulled over by the police for what looked like routine vehicle and paperwork checks. Harmless at first, until the driver turned to me mid-stop and asked for $2. Your guess is as good as mine where that money went. All I know is, it was my first real Harare–Lagos déjà vu moment. Different cities, same roadside symphony.
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?? Weather & Vibe
Harare's weather played nice again. Dry, sunny, no humidity to complain about. Under direct sun it scorches; under shade it's forgiving. For those planning to come to Harare, come with a good lip balm - semblances of harmattan.
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? Reflections
Nigeria may not have walked away with a win, but the game gave us reasons to believe. Resolve, composure under pressure, and a few standout individual performances — the building blocks of something greater. There are still signs of our characteristic struggle against spin but I hope they are just false positives.
And Harare? It continues to surprise me. Calm and friendly on the surface, but layered with contradictions. If Day 1 was the city humming, Day 2 was the soundcheck before the concert — warm-ups included, sirens included, roadside encores included.