India vs Zimbabwe 2nd T20 Highlights: All-Round Zimbabwe Stun Ajinkya Rahane and Co. to Draw Series
Zimbabwe put up a spirited show to stun India by 10 runs to draw two-match T20 series 1-1. Catch all the highlights of the match here.
Playing for pride, Zimbabwe made a terrific comeback to defend 145 and deny India a whitewash. This is also Zimbabwe's first-ever T20I win against India. The two-match T20 series ended 1-1. Catch all the highlights of the match here. (Scorecard | Photos | Results)
(All times in IST)
20:10: QUOTES!
Sikandar Raza: It's a great honour to lead Zimbabwe. The fans were right behind us. We enjoyed the challenge of playing against India. We need to go on and achieve better things as a team. Hopefully we'll win more games and give the fans something to cheer about.
Ajinkya Rahane: Credit to Zimbabwe. They were fantastic with the ball and fielded well too. 146 was achievable, the bowlers came back well. We didn't bat well, we accept that. We played good cricket throughout the series, but disappointed to lose this one.
Chamu Chibhabha: I've put in a lot of work, I am happy that I've contributed to the win. We lost a couple of wickets, so I looked to stick around a bit before playing my shots. Binny's catch was crucial.
19:58: That's it! Zimbabwe stun India by 10 runs to draw the two match series 1-1. This is also their first-ever T20 win at Harare. What an end to the match! Zimbabwe were amazing with the ball and their fielding was top notch today. There were direct hits, there were diving catches and also good spin bowling. Such performances deserve a victory and Zimbabwe earned it. India started well with the bat early on as Robin Uthappa was hitting boundaries at will however, the Zimbabwe spinners pulled things back excellently. Graeme Cremer was the man as he took three good wickets.
19:52: WICKET! Bhuvneshwar Kumar is run out. Zimbabwe one wicket away from their first victory in the series.
19:46: WICKET! Axar Patel gone. Full toss and Patel failed to punish it. He made room for a slog shot and whips it over mid-wicket. Sean Williams was the fielder at the deep mid wicket and caught it with both hands.
19:39: WICKET! Sanju Samson departs and that's a big wicket. Samson takes the aerial rout and for a while it looked like it would cross the ropes. Malcolm Waller takes a simple catch at long on. All eyes on Axar Patel.
19:33: DROPPED! Axar Patel dropped on 5 by Graeme Cremer off Sikandar Raza at extra cover. Can this be the turning point of the match?
19:27: WICKET! Stuart Binny falls for 24. What a catch there by Chamu Chibhabha! Binny goes for a lofted shot over mid off. He didn't time it well and Chibhabha came running down and took a superb diving catch to dismiss him. Binny had been playing well and looked to be winning it for India. Zimbabwe are back in the game. Graeme Cremer gets his third.
19:17: Stuart Binny and Sanju Samson steady India ship. The duo has put on 32 runs for the sixth wicket as India reach 101 for five in 14 overs.
19:00: WICKET! Kedar Jadhav is run out and India are in deep trouble. Stuart Binny plays on the leg side and calls for a couple. Muzarabani picks the ball and throws at the non-strikers end. Jadhav was well short of the crease as it was a direct hit. India are five down.
18:54: WICKET! Robin Uthappa falls for 42. That was floated on middle and Uthappa went for a lofted shot over Williams. He didn't connect well and Williams takes a very sharp catch. Indian are in trouble now as they lose their fourth man.
18:48: WICKET! Graeme Cremer strikes again and this time it's Manish Pandey, who's out for a duck. The ball pitched on middle and was sliding down the leg side. It struck Pandey on the pads as he went for a flick. Cremer appealed and the umpire raised his fingers.
18:45: WICKET! Murali Vijay deparfts after scoring 13. Graeme Cremer strikes on the first ball. Murali Vijay goes for a pull but misses the ball completely.
18:36: Robin Uthappa has taken the attack back to the bowlers. He punished Christopher Mpofu for three fours in the pacer's first over.
18:20: WICKET! Ajinkya Rahane departs after scoring only four runs. What was Rahane thinking? He played the ball down to fine leg but straight to the fielder. Without looking at Murali Vijay he started running for the single. He reached halfway but Vijay sent him back. Rahane had no time to get back and just walked away in disgust. Chibhabha did well for the accurate throw.
© AFP
18:07: That's it! Indian bowlers did a decent job to restrict Zimbabwe to 145 for seven. Chamu Chibhabha played well for his 67 off 51 balls. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohit Sharma bagged two wickets each. Axar Patel, Sandeep Sharma and Stuart Binny picked up one wicket each.
18:01: WICKET! Bhuvneshwar strikes again and this time it's Craig Ervine.
17:59: WICKET! Bhuvneshwar gets the danger-man Chamu Chibhabha for 67. Chibhabha shuffles in the crease and moves towards the off stump. Bhuvi bowls a full one on the pads and Chibhabha misses a low full-toss.
17:41: WICKET! Stuart Binny joins the party, gets Charles Coventry. That was a good length ball and it swung in sharply. Coventry tried to block it but missed it and the ball struck the pads. Umpire raised his fingers as Binny appealed for the LBW.
17:35: FIFTY! Chamu Chibhabha reaches his fourth half-century.
© AFP
17:24: WICKET! Axar Patel removes Sean Williams for 17. Floated on middle and Williams comes down the ground to loft it over the bowler. He was beaten by the flight and hit it straight into the hands of Axar. Zimbabwe lose their in-form man.
17:02: WICKET! Mohit Sharma gets stand-in skipper Sikandar Raza. That was wide outside off and Raza went for the cut. He played it uppishly and found Sanju Samson at the deep. Easy catch for the debutant there.
16:47: WICKET! Sandeep Sharma strikes to get his first international wicket. Sandeep bowls one just a tad outside off on a good length. Hamilton Masakadza tries to be cheeky and goes for a late cut down third man. He can only edge it for a simple catch to Robin Uthappa.
16:44: Hamilton Masakadza and Chamu Chibhabha have provided a solid start.
16:30: Bhuvneshwar Kumar takes the new ball. Zimbabwe openers Hamilton Masakadza and Chamu Chibhabha are out in the middle.
16:13: TEAMS!
Zimbabwe: Hamilton Masakadza, Chamu Chibhabha, Charles Coventry, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams, Craig Ervine, Graeme Cremer, Prosper Utseya, Chris Mpofu, Taurai Muzarabani, Malcolm Waller
India: Ajinkya Rahane, Murali Vijay, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Sanju Samson, Kedar Jadhav, Stuart Binny, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Sandeep Sharma
16:03: TOSS! Zimbabwe opt to bat against India. Sikandar Raza leads the home side as regular captain Elton Chigumbura misses out due to an injury. Sean Williams and Malcolm Waller return to the playing XI. India have rested Harbhajan Singh, Sanju Samson makes his debut today.
© AFP
A second string India, captained by Ajinkya Rahane, clinched the three-match ODI series 3-0. The visitors were a superior side in the first T20I too, winning it by 54 runs.
India will hope to end the Zimbabwe tour on a high with a win in the second and final T20 today. India will aim to capitalise on their batting strength once again, hoping their batsmen would again set up the victory with another strong total.
Axar Patel made his T20 debut memorable, winning the man of the match award after picking up three wickets for 17 runs. India had fielded five debutants in the first T20 -- Axar, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadav, Sandeep Sharma and Stuart Binny.
Zimbabwe were completely outplayed during their 54-run loss on Friday. Zimbabwe were restricted to 124/7 in their run chase of 179.
Zimbabwe skipper Elton Chigumbura is hopeful of ending the series on a winning note. "Important to try and play our best cricket on Sunday and hopefully we get a better result," Chigumbura said.