Gladiators CC vs Rimuka CC, NPLT20B, 2026, Today Match Prediction

GLACC vs RMKCC Match Prediction & Analysis

Gladiators Cricket Club and Rimuka Cricket Club will lock horns in the second qualifier match of the NPL T20 Blast 2026 on Friday, 16th October. The venue for this match is Harare Sports Club, Harare and the scheduled start time is 21:30 IST. 

Gladiators Cricket Club are the current winners of the tournament and Rimuka Cricket Club head into the contest on the back of an impressive campaign. It will be a rematch of the 2025 final where Gladiators had the last laugh. The winner of this game will march into the final of the competition and lock horns against the Rangers. Gladiators are coming off a victory in the eliminator game and Rimuka fell short in the first qualifier. It will be a final chance for both teams to reach finals. 

H2H History: Rimuka are leading the H2H record 3-1 against Gladiators Cricket Club. Gladiators won the most important final last year to claim the title. So, Gladiators have the psychological advantage of beating them in the 2025 final. Rumika, meanwhile, emerged victorious in this year’s league stage contest. 

TEAMS PREVIEW

Gladiators CC Preview

Gladiators Cricket Club will gear up for the second qualifier of the tournament. After losing the first game of the season. They didn't look back and won all of their league stage matches. They defeated Old Hararians by four wickets, chasing 124. They finished second in the league stage with five wins from seven matches, only behind Rimuka on net run rate, before defeating Rimuka in the final to lift their maiden NPL T20 Blast title. Their consistency throughout the tournament was built around a strong batting core and a bowling attack capable of taking wickets at crucial stages.

Gladiators Cricket Club previously secured a solid victory over Queens 1 Sports Club, successfully defending a total of 190 runs. The defending champions extended their winning streak to six matches and secured a place in the top four after chasing down 197 runs against Takashinga 1. However, they missed out on a place in Qualifier 1 due to an inferior net run rate. Gladiators will now look to carry their winning momentum into the knockout stage as they aim to defend their NPL T20 Blast title.

It won't be an easy game for the Gladiators. They suffered a narrow seven-run defeat against Rimuka Cricket Club in their opening match. Despite that early setback, the defending champions have responded strongly, stringing together six consecutive victories and establishing themselves as strong contenders for another title. 

Lennox Chando has been Gladiators' leading run-scorer, accumulating 276 runs in seven innings at an average of 46.00. Naison Mare has also been in excellent form, scoring 207 runs with a highest score of 85. His unbeaten innings against Rangers demonstrated his ability to anchor a chase while maintaining a healthy scoring rate. Milton Shumba is another key batter, having scored 212 runs at a strike rate of 135.34. He was also the tournament's leading run-scorer last season, finishing with 351 runs.

With the ball, Victor Nyauchi led Gladiators' wicket-taking charts with 12 wickets in 7 innings. Munashe Zata has also bagged 11 wickets at an average of 15.27. Owen Muzondo and Milton Shumba also made a valuable contribution, bagging eight wickets apiece in the tournament. The defending champions will rely on their in-form batting lineup and disciplined bowling attack to maintain their momentum and take another step towards retaining the title.

Gladiators CC Predicted Playing XI:

Panashe Taruvinga (c), Milton Shumba, Wessly Madhevere, Ashley Mufandauya, Brian Bennett, Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), Phase Mukabeta, Owen Muzondo, Munashe Zata, Tanatswa Chisvo, Mike Chinouya

Rimuka CC Preview

Rimuka Cricket Club head into the contest following a disappointing defeat against Rangers, where they were bowled out for just 70 runs. Rangers chased down the target in only 4.1 overs, handing Rimuka their first defeat of the tournament. Despite the setback, Rimuka remain at the top of the points table with 10 points.

Before that loss, Rimuka had extended their winning streak to five matches with a commanding 111-run victory over Queens 1 Sports Club. They posted their highest total of the tournament, scoring 229 runs, with Victor Chirwa leading the charge with 68 off 38 balls. Takudzwanashe Kaitano provided a blistering contribution of 61 off just 22 deliveries, while Nyasha Mayavo chipped in with 44 off 24 balls. With the ball, Tendai Chisoro starred with a four-wicket haul to cap off a dominant all-round performance.

Rimuka also registered a comprehensive victory over Eastern Titans, with their bowlers producing a sensational display to dismiss the opposition for just 30 runs, the lowest total in the tournament's history. Earlier in their campaign, Rimuka secured a seven-run win over Gladiators Cricket Club, successfully defending a modest total of 143. Ignace Ntirenganya was the standout performer in that match, claiming an impressive five-wicket haul for just 18 runs.

They followed that result with another dominant performance, defeating Mbizo Cricket Club by 104 runs. Rimuka posted the tournament's first 200-plus total in that match, with Tashinga Musekiwa smashing 58 off 26 balls and Kevin Kasuza contributing a quickfire 48 off 27 deliveries.

Kevin Kasuza has been one of Rimuka's leading batters this season, accumulating 113 runs in five innings. Nyasha Mayavo has also made a valuable contribution, scoring 112 runs at a strike rate of 151, while Victor Chirwa has added a half-century to his tally. Chirwa has also been a major force with the ball, finishing as the tournament's leading wicket-taker with 21 wickets while scoring 264 runs.

Ignace Ntirenganya has been exceptional in the ongoing competition, claiming 10 wickets in three innings at an average of 6.40, including his match-winning five-wicket haul against Gladiators. Tendai Chisoro has also impressed with nine wickets, while Victor Chirwa has contributed seven wickets in four matches.

Rimuka CC Predicted Playing XI:

Takudzwanashe Kaitano (c), Davis Murwendo, Victor Chirwa, Nyasha Mayavo (wk), Kevin Kasuza, Villan Changa, Brandon Mavuta, Frank Mwazviita, Tashinga Musekiwa, Ollard Dzinokuvara, Moses Karimaguti

Weather Conditions

The weather at Harare on 16th October is expected to be partly sunny with a high of 27°C and a low of 17°C, along with a 15% chance of rain and north winds at 14 kph. 

GLACC vs RMKCC Pitch Report

The surface at Harare Sports Club, Harare, is generally batting-friendly, offering good conditions for batters to score runs. However, overcast skies could provide early assistance to pacers, particularly with the new ball. The possibility of rain could also lead to a shortened game, potentially favouring the team batting second under the DLS method. The average first-innings score in the last five T20 matches at this venue is around 174 runs, suggesting that a competitive total will be crucial.

Score prediction: 

If Gladiators Cricket Club bat first - 170-180 runs 

If Rimuka Cricket Club bat first - 140-150 runs 

Toss: To Bowl

In the last five T20 matches at this venue, chasing sides have won only twice, suggesting a slight advantage for teams batting first. All three unsuccessful chases came while pursuing targets of more than 190 runs, highlighting the importance of posting a competitive total. Pacers could also make an impact during the powerplay, using the new ball to pick up early wickets. However, both teams have previously enjoyed success while bowling first and are likely to prefer bowling first in this fixture as well.

Toss Prediction: Gladiators to win the coin toss.