Harare [Zimbabwe], July 20 (ANI): The most entertaining and explosive format in the game of cricket is all set to tee off in Zimbabwe, as the T10 comes to Africa for the first time ever. The inaugural edition of the Zim Afro T10 will commence from July 20 at the Harare Sports Club. The grand final of the Zim Afro T10 will be played on July 29, in Harare, also the venue for all the matches of the tournament.

There are five teams, Harare Hurricanes, Bulawayo Braves, Durban Qalandars, Cape Town Samp Army and Johannesburg Buffaloes, who will battle it out for top honours in Harare, over the next ten days. The Zim Cyber City Zim Afro T10, which not only brings to Zimbabwe some top-notch cricket but also add a layer of razzmatazz, begins with Harare Hurricanes, who have the dynamic Eoin Morgan in their side, taking on the Bulawayo Braves, who have in their ranks the in-form and dangerous Sikandar Raza. Act 1 of the tournament though will see a glittering opening ceremony on 20th July, after which the first game will begin at 7pm local time.

The Zim Cyber City Zim Afro T10 is a new and important chapter in the journey of the T10, which is taking its first steps in its quest to go global. Up until now, the T10 has been played in Abu Dhabi for half a decade, and the journey aims to take the most exciting format in cricket to various parts of the globe. The T10 hopes to entertain, enthral and of course, invest in the domestic cricket structures, such that players from the furthest corners of the cricketing fraternity can get a feel of what the big international stage is like.

With the likes of Robin Uthappa, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, Stuart Binny, Parthiv Patel, Mohammad Hafeez, Mushfiqur Rahim, Mohammad Nabi, Mohammad Amir, Sean Williams, Bhanuka Rajapaksa, Sheldon Cottrell, Tymal Mills, and Thisara Perera being among the top names participating in the tournament, the Zim Cyber City Zim Afro T10 has all the ingredients in place for a tournament which produces high-octane cricket.

From the most impactful young players, to the best of the best in international cricket, the Zim Cyber City Zim Afro T10 has it all and promises to be nothing short of a cricketing carnival in the continent of Africa.

While the excitement has touched fever pitch in Harare ahead of the opening day of the Zim Cyber City Zim Afro T10, the players are putting in the hard yards in their final preparations and are leaving no stone unturned to ensure they put their best foot forward, as they look to come away with the top prize on 29th July.

"The Zim Cyber City Zim Afro T10's inaugural edition is a landmark moment in the history of Zimbabwe cricket and T10, as the journey kicks off a special chapter. Everyone involved has worked mighty hard to bring together this fantastic tournament, and we all are expecting some closely contestedgames over the next ten days. I have seen the teams train and they are working with great intensity, and I am confident that the fans will absolutely enjoy the cricket on display," said Shaji Ul Mulk, Chairman T Ten Global Sports.

"We have been awaiting this day for a while with a lot of excitement. Zimbabwe cricket is at a rebuilding stage and the Zim Cyber City Zim Afro T10 which boasts of some of the most loved cricketers will surely bring many more fans to the stadium. I am sure that the Zimbabwean cricketers will alsomatch the international stars step for step, which will eventually result in very well-contested games for the fans to enjoy. I wish all the players the very best, and may the best team win," said Tavengwa Mukuhlani, Chairman, Zimbabwe Cricket.(ANI)