With the senior players basking in their recent ICC T20 World Cup victory and taking a well-deserved break, the emerging talents of Indian cricket are currently on tour in Zimbabwe, gearing up for the third T20I of the five-match series. This game is scheduled for Wednesday at Harare Sports Club.
Under the leadership of Shubman Gill, India has introduced four debutants in the first two matches of the series and is expected to make more changes for the upcoming match. The team is riding a wave of winning momentum, although the captain’s inconsistent performance remains a concern for the visitors.
On the other hand, Zimbabwe’s captain, Sikandar Raza, failed to match his stellar performance from the first T20I in the recent game. His team also let down the home crowd in the second match, suffering a crushing defeat, falling 100 runs short of the target, which tied the record for the highest defeat margin in T20Is in terms of runs for the Chevrons.
What have they done so far?
Not long ago, Zimbabwe travelled to Bangladesh for a 5-match T20I series in May, where the hosts dominated, winning the series 4-1 in favor of the Bangla Tigers. Brian Bennett and Blessing Muzarabani stood out for Zimbabwe, becoming the top run-scorer and wicket-taker respectively.
Meanwhile, India’s last T20I assignment was the recently concluded ICC T20 World Cup. Under the leadership of Rohit Sharma, India emerged as the Champions, ending their 11-year trophy drought. Remarkably, they became the first team to win the T20I World Cup without losing a single match throughout the tournament.
In the first T20I game between Zimbabwe and India, held recently in Harare, the Chevrons pulled off an upset against Shubman Gill’s side. The young Indian brigade faltered in their chase of 116 runs, losing the match by 13 runs.
However, Zimbabwe’s celebration was short-lived as India staged a remarkable comeback the very next day. The visitors defeated the hosts by a handsome margin of 100 runs, marking Zimbabwe’s joint-worst loss in T20I cricket.
Abhishek Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Rinku Singh shone with the bat, while Avesh Khan and Mukesh Kumar each took three wickets, restricting Zimbabwe, who were chasing 235 runs, to just 134 runs.
Head to Head Record
The head-to-head record indicates that India has dominated Zimbabwe in their past encounters. Out of the 10 matches played between the two teams, the Asian side has emerged victorious seven times, while Zimbabwe has managed to win only three times.
Key Players
Raza is just 32 runs shy of reaching 2000 T20I runs
Sikandar Raza (Zimbabwe): As captain and veteran all-rounder of the Zimbabwean squad, Sikandar Raza plays a pivotal role in his team’s fortunes. With a wealth of experience, Raza’s performance often dictates Zimbabwe’s success on the field.
In the first match of the series, Raza’s performance earned him the Player of the Match award, steering Zimbabwe to a historic victory over the World Champions. He contributed with both bat and ball, scoring a vital 17 runs off 19 balls and claiming 3 wickets with his off-spin bowling, including the prized scalp of the Indian captain.
With 88 T20Is under his belt, the 38-year-old Raza has amassed 1968 runs at an impressive average of nearly 25 and a strike rate of 133.7, accompanied by 14 half-centuries. With the ball, he has taken 63 wickets and is on the verge of becoming Zimbabwe’s joint-highest wicket-taker in T20Is, needing just 3 more wickets to achieve this milestone.
Ravi Bishnoi (India): Ravi Bishnoi, India’s talented leg-spinner, has been in outstanding form throughout the series, troubling Zimbabwe’s batsmen with his deceptive bowling.
In the first match, Bishnoi delivered a remarkable spell of 4-2-13-4, showcasing his ability to dismantle the opposition’s batting lineup. In the second game, he maintained his dominance, conceding only 11 runs and claiming 2 crucial wickets in his 4 overs.
Currently, the leading wicket-taker of the series, the 23-year old from Rajasthan has taken 6 wickets at an impressive average, economy rate, and strike rate of 4, 3, and 8 respectively. Notably, all 6 of Bishnoi’s wickets have come either through bowled or LBW dismissals.
Predicted XIs
Zimbabwe: Wessly Madhevere, Innocent Kaia, Brian Bennett, Sikandar Raza ©, Dion Myers, Johnathan Campbell, Clive Madande (wk), Wellington Masakadza, Luke Jongwe, Blessing Muzarabani, Tendai Chatara
India: Shubman Gill ©, Yashasvi Jaiswal, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh, Dhruv Jurel(w), Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar
Prediction
Under the guidance of coach VVS Laxman, the team faced an early setback in the first T20I. However, the young players learned from their mistakes and secured an exceptional victory in the following match.
Considering the head-to-head record and their recent 100-run triumph, it is anticipated that the Men in Blue will continue to dominate the series in the next three matches.