India began their chase slowly and lost wickets cheaply, but Zimbabwe’s impressive comeback ensured an exciting finish.
Mukesh Kumar takes another wicket off Bennett, this time when he attempts to cut and ends up getting an inside edge to the stumps.
Ravi Bishnoi bowled an effective second over, utilising wrong ‘uns to great effect. Washington Sundar tightened his control in the third over.
| Team | Player | Performance |
|---|---|---|
| India | Sanju Samson | 58 runs (45 balls) |
| India | Shivam Dube | 26 runs (12 balls) & 2 wickets for 25 runs |
| India | Mukesh Kumar | 4 wickets for 22 runs |
| Zimbabwe | Dion Myers | 34 runs (32 balls) |
| Zimbabwe | Faraz Akram | 27 runs (13 balls) |
| Zimbabwe | Blessing Muzarabani | 2 wickets for 19 runs |
India: 167/6
India made up for their surprise defeat in the 1st T20I with two victories to take a 2-1 series lead against Pakistan, led by Shubman Gill’s side. They are ushering in a new era of Indian cricket in this short format – led by young talents who are taking bold decisions with great confidence, much to the delight of their fans and leaving no one unsettled!
Zimbabwe’s batting struggled against Indian spinners, with Clive Madande’s unbeaten 29 being crucial to Zimbabwean hopes of victory at Harare Sports Club. Clive Raza also contributed with 3-25, using offbreaks, legbreaks, variations brilliantly to force wickets from Indian bowlers backed up with impressive catches courtesy of Sikandar Raza who strategically delayed entering his attack until 11th over to take full advantage of pitch turns and pitch bend.
Ravi Bishnoi took four wickets for 13 runs. He expertly picked off Bennett and Madhevere with pinpoint accuracy while bowling 22 googlies out of 24 balls intelligently. Washington Sundar’s tight spell effectively reduced scoring rates as his right-arm offbreaks threatened batsmen throughout.
India was led to victory by their impressive bowlers who proved pivotal in making life difficult for Zimbabwe’s batting lineup.
Zimbabwe: 115/9
Zimbabwe’s batsmen performed admirably, yet were powerless to stop India from dominating this series. Abhishek Sharma’s maiden ton and Ruturaj Gaikwad’s 22-ball 48 blitz propelled India forward while Mukesh Kumar, Avesh Khan and Washington Sundar all contributed wickets.
Harare Sports Club was an ideal pitch for both pacers and spinners to use effectively, and India made full use of it. Zimbabwe struggled against India’s attacking bowlers, falling to 28-4 in the powerplay and struggling throughout their innings; only Luke Jongwe’s 44 and Wessly Madhevere’s 43 provided any resistance; nonetheless they weren’t enough.
At an important turning point in the match, Sundar deployed his unique brand of spin to derail Zimbabwe’s innings. He bowled tight lines and pushed the ball high into the air to force batters to play on up, leading to several miscues from Zimbabwean batsmen. Sundar’s next over was even better as he bowled short on off side taking two wickets quickly to derail Zimbabwe’s innings altogether.
This match was an exciting thriller from start to finish, full of unexpected twists and turns. Castle Corner crowd was filled with energy as Raza hit big shots, while diving Johnathan Campbell saved Zimbabwe one run in the final over.
Zimbabwe had a strong day, though they will need to improve their batting, which appeared disjointed. Their top four scored only 100 runs between them while the middle order struggled badly. Still, they can take plenty of positives away from this series as well as work on their fielding – which cost them some runs on Friday. On Sunday’s second T20I both teams will go for maximum runs as both look to win it and wrap up series victory! First ball will be bowled at 4:20 pm IST so don’t miss any action! First ball will be bowled at 4:20 pm IST; stay tuned!
India: 165/8
India rebounded after their devastating loss in the opening T20I and took an impressive 2-1 series lead against New Zealand. But this series wasn’t just about India – rather, it was also an eye-opener to young players ushering in a new era in T20I cricket with energetic performances that often surprised and amazed spectators alike.
Zimbabwe’s bowlers dismantled India’s batting line-up to win this low-scoring affair at Harare Sports Club. Sikandar Raza and Tendai Chatara both picked up three wickets each to put Zimbabwe ahead, while India struggled with their bat and constantly lost wickets.
Ravi Bishnoi’s 4-13 and Washington Sundar’s two-fer put tremendous strain on Zimbabwean batters, but Clive Madande’s 29 helped keep the run rate going and ensure they got across the line thanks to some brilliant fielding efforts.
India’s second-string side were no match for Zimbabwe’s disciplined bowling attack, struggling to deal with carrom balls and variations bowled by Zimbabwe spinners. Meanwhile, Zimbabwe fielders provided great support for their bowlers with stunning catches from Blessing Muzarabani and Johnathan Campbell among many others.
Match was seemingly heading toward a tie until the final over, when Wessly Madhevere hit an off-stump short and wide to secure victory for his team in deep third region vacancy.
A youngster’s stunning performance was an absolute treat for fans at the stadium and earned cheers all around. He praised his teammates, while acknowledging how important the crowd has been in keeping their spirits high and keeping up motivation levels. Looking ahead, the youngster is eager to make his presence felt in subsequent matches while also acknowledging Shubman Gill as his captain.
Zimbabwe: 165/9
Zimbabwe’s bowlers were outstanding in dismantling India’s batting, led by Sikandar Raza’s three wickets from four overs – Shubman Gill being one – to shift momentum in the match and change it completely. Utilizing offbreaks, legbreaks, variations, carrom balls to dismiss Gill in powerplay set the scene for his excellent spell while Tendai Chatara’s final over was enough to secure Zimbabwe a victory.
Both sides have much to prove in this series and anyone could win the penultimate T20I of the three-match series; both will want a lead heading into Saturday’s home leg of their respective matches.
Zimbabwe batsmen may not have been at their best, but they still managed to post an impressive total and make it hard for Indian bowlers. Wesly Madhevere and Brian Bennett started strong before Ravi Bishnoi’s 4-13 unleashed its devastating effects resulting in six wickets being lost within 23 balls before Clive Madande’s unbeaten 29 propelled them forwards towards reaching 115 for 9.
Spinner Brandon Ngavara bowled an effective over, mixing up his pace to keep the batters guessing and slowing down his deliveries for maximum turn and slowness – closing out an excellent powerplay over. Abhishek Sharma then bowled half-decent over, with Myers taking an aggressive swing against one wide delivery from him before being caught at short third man.
Zimbabwe have named an inexperienced squad for this tournament, featuring only Luke Jongwe and Wellington Masakadza as experienced players. After failing to qualify for the recently concluded T20 World Cup, this will give Zimbabwe’s bowlers Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava an opportunity to show their mettle against high-quality opposition.
