Hosts Zimbabwe defeated the Netherlands by 37 runs on Sunday in the final of the T20 World Cup qualifying tournament.

Zimbabwe will play Ireland, Scotland and the West Indies in the first round of the T20 World Cup in Australia.

The Netherlands also qualified for the tournament from 16 October and they enter the other first-round group with Namibia, Sri Lanka and the United Arab Emirates.

The winners and runners-up in each section advance to the Super 12 phase, joining title-holders Australia, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, England, India, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa.

Beating the Dutch confirmed Zimbabwe as the dominant team in Bulawayo as they won all five matches, including three in Group A and a semi-final, under new coach Dave Houghton.

Batting first for the fifth consecutive time, the hosts posted 132 with only No 3 batsman Sean Williams (28) and opener Regis Chakabva (27) scoring more than 20 runs.

Sikandar Raza, so often the top scorer, starred with the ball instead, capturing four Dutch wickets for the loss of only eight runs in a four-over spell that included a maiden.

In reply, the Dutch fared even poorer with the bat than the home team, apart from opener Stephan Myburgh (22) and middle-order Teja Nidamanuru (21), and were bundled out for 95.

Bas de Leede, who struck an unbeaten 91 in the semi-final triumph over the USA, managed just one run before being trapped lbw by Wesley Madhevere.

© Agence France-Presse