Zimbabwe register first win over India in eight years

Zimbabwe defeated India by 13 runs in the first of the five T20 Internationals at a packed Harare Sports Club that saw the crowd of home fans enlivened as the match inched towards the end with the Chevrons emerging winners.

This was Zimbabwe’s third win over India in the format and the first since June 2016, when they had beaten an MS Dhoni-led side. 

Batting first, the Zimbabweans were restricted to 115/9 in 20 overs with wicketkeeper-batsman Clive Madande top-scoring with 29 off 25 balls. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi picked 4/13 in four overs.

The target looked easy for the Indians but they lost opener Abhishek Sharma (0), Ruturaj Gaikwad (7), Riyan Parag (2), and Rinku Singh (0) inside the powerplay overs to be reduced to 22/4 in five overs.

Both Sharma and Parag were making their debut alongwith Dhruv Jurel, who was debuting in the shortest format after having represented India in the Test matches this year. Off-spinner Brian Bennett (1/1 in 1), Wellington Masakadza (1/15 in 3) and Tendai Chatara (3/16 in 3.5 overs) shook the top-order.

It was an uphill task from thereon and it was left to skipper Shubman Gill (31 off 29 balls) and Jurel (6 off 14) to resurrect the innings. But Jurel fell in the 10th over and soon after Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza breached the defence of Gill to leave India tottering at 47/6.

The Indian tail tried to make a match of it through Washington Sundar (27 off 34) and Avesh Khan (16 off 12) but they fell short.

India needed 16 off the last over, the same that South Africa needed against them in the T20 World Cup final a week ago in Barbados.

Washington, however, couldn’t get the big hit he was looking for and eventually perished in pursuit of one. 

Zimbabwe skipper Raza, who won the Player of the Match for his 3/25 in four overs and 17 off 19, was thrilled but said that there is still work that needs to be done. 

The crowd at the Harare Sports Club was thrilled to bits win the Zimbabwe win (Photos credit: @ZimCricketv)

“I feel really happy about the win. But the job is not done, the series is not over and we need to take one game at a time. World champions play like world champions so we need to be ready for the next game,” said the 38-year-old before adding that the bowlers from both sides did a good job on a pitch that should have seen more runs.

India skipper Shubman Gill said at the presentation, “We were not up to standard. Everyone looked a bit rusty. We spoke about taking time and enjoying our batting but it didn't pan out that way.”

It should be noted that none of the India players in the first T20I was part of the T20 World Cup-winning squad.