Zimbabwe D(hon)isappointed; India level series

India made a couple of changes to their playing eleven – Rishi Dhawan and Jaydev Unadkat made way for a couple of Twenty20 International debutants (Barinder Sran (the player of the match) and Dhawal Kulkarni].

Zimbabwe made one change to the eleven that last played the Indians – Richmond Mutumbami made way for Peter Moor.

On winning the toss, Graeme Cremer, Zimbabwe’s skipper, chose to bat.

The Powerplay of Zimbabwe’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the sixth over. They scored 35, and lost four wickets.

Chamu Chibhabha, whose 11-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, scored 10. Seventeen balls into the match, he was caught by Ambati Rayudu. Sran broke the 14-run stand.

Hamilton Masakadza, whose 12-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, scored 10. Nine balls later, Sran broke the 12-run stand.

Sikandar Raza, who faced a couple of balls, scored a run. Three balls later, he was caught by Lokesh Rahul. Sran broke the two-run stand.

The fourth-wicket pair didn’t get off the mark. Tinotenda Mutombodzi, who faced a ball, didn’t open his account. The next ball, he was trapped leg before wicket by Sran.

Zimbabwe scored 50 off 9.4 overs (58 balls). India had conceded five extras at that point.

Malcolm Waller, whose 20-ball innings included a boundary, scored 14. Thirty-seven balls later, he was caught by Axar Patel. Yuzvendra Chahal broke the 29-run stand.

Moor, whose 32-ball innings included a couple of boundaries and a six, scored 31. Twenty-one balls later, he was caught by Patel. Jasprit Bumrah broke the 18-run stand.

Elton Chigumbura, whose 19-ball innings included a boundary, scored eight. Nine balls later, Bumrah broke the six-run stand.

Neville Madziva, who faced a couple of balls, scored a run. Three balls later, Bumrah broke the two-run stand.

Cremer, who faced half-a-dozen balls, scored four. Sixteen balls later, he was caught by Rayudu. Kulkarni broke the eight-run stand.

Donald Tiripano, whose 14-ball innings included a boundary, scored 11. He was unbeaten, as was Taurai Muzarabani, who faced a couple of balls, failing to get off the mark.

India eventually conceded nine extras. Zimbabwe scored 99 for the loss of nine wickets off 20 overs.

Each of the five bowlers bowled four overs apiece. Patel, who was wicketless, conceded 23. Kulkarni and Chahal picked up a wicket apiece. While the former conceded 32, the latter, whose spell included a maiden, conceded 19.

Bumrah, who conceded 11, picking up three wickets. Sran, who conceded 10, picked up four scalps.

The Powerplay of India’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the sixth over. They scored 37, without the loss of a wicket.

India’s openers put on 50 off 7.4 overs (46 balls). Zimbabwe had conceded an extra at that point. While Rahul’s contribution to the partnership was 24, Mandeep Singh’s contribution to it was 28.

India’s openers put on 100 off 13.1 overs (80 balls). Zimbabwe had conceded four extras at that point. In fact, India, who eventually scored 103 without the loss of a wicket, won by 10 wickets with 41 balls to spare.

Singh’s half-century – which included half-a-dozen boundaries and a six – came off 40 balls.

While Rahul’s contribution to the century partnership was 47 (which came off 40 balls, which included a couple of boundaries and as many sixes), Mandeep Singh’s contribution to it was 52.

Raza, who bowled a wicketless over, conceded nine. Chibhabha and Muzarabani bowled a couple of wicketless overs apiece. While the former conceded 23, the latter conceded 17.

Madziva, who bowled 13 wicketless balls, conceded 19. Cremer and Tiripano bowled three wicketless overs apiece. While the former conceded 24, the latter conceded 11.  

The three-match series was levelled 1-1.