India’s post-T20 World Cup party hit a snag yesterday, as Zimbabwe stunned the reigning world champions, handing them their first defeat in T20Is in 2024.
Having been restricted to 115 for 9, the Zimbabwe bowlers came out with gusto, picking up wickets at regular intervals to bowl out India for 102 in 19.5 overs.
Tendai Chatara and Sikandar Raza starred with the ball, picking up three wickets apiece as India collapsed in a hurry, much to the delight of the Chevrons fans who thronged Harare Sports Club.
India, fielding a team completely different to the one that triumphed in Bridgetown, handed debuts to Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel, and had no hesitation in bowling first after winning the toss.
Zimbabwe started well, but Ravi Bishnoi, with a T20 career-best of four wickets for 13 runs, and Washington Sundar (two wickets for 11 runs) orchestrated Chevrons’ collapse that has become all too familiar.
At the halfway stage, it seemed like an easy enough chase, but the Zimbabwe bowlers had other ideas.
Abhishek fell for a four-ball duck, Ruturaj Gaikwad for seven, Parag’s debut lasted three balls and Rinku Singh lasted all of two, as India lost four wickets inside five overs.
And when Raza cleaned up India’s skipper Shubman Gill for 31 runs, the whole of Harare believed.
India needed 16 off the final over, with one wicket in hand, but still hoped to get through with Sundar still around.
Chatara, however, bowled a nerveless 20th, conceding just two runs off four balls and claiming Sundar off the fifth to spark wild scenes in Harare.
This is the lowest total ever defended against India in a T20I, and the lowest against anyone in Harare.
It was also Zimbabwe’s first win against India in any format since 2016.
Zimbabwe had the perfect start to their innings when Wessly Madhevere drove Khaleel Ahmed straight down the ground for four.
Their joy was short-lived though, with Mukesh Kumar uprooting Innocent Kaia’s leg stump with the first ball of his spell (the second over of the innings).
Brian Bennett and Madhevere took Zimbabwe forward swiftly.
Bennett started off with a screeching square drive and then got a thick outside edge past second slip for four more.
Khaleel was then taken for 17 off the fifth over between both batters, albeit in streaky fashion.
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Bennett first got a — fortunate — boundary over slips before Avesh made a meal of a relatively straightforward chance at deep third.
Madhevere then pumped Khaleel through the midwicket and then got another edge over slip as Zimbabwe raced to 40 for 1 after five.
Bishnoi, with his variations, was always expected to be a tricky customer for the Zimbabwe batters and he was among the wickets straight away. He started by cleaning up Bennett for a 15-ball 22.
It was a bail-trimmer.
In Bishnoi’s next over, it was Madhevere sent back — he missed a slog sweep and his off stump took a beating.
Raza struck a delightful six, straight down the ground off Avesh, while adding 23 off 24 balls for the fourth wicket with Dion Myers.
But his wicket brought about a collapse of epic proportions.
From 74 for three in the 12th over, Zimbabwe slipped to 90 for 9 in the 16th, with Bishnoi and Sundar the wreckers-in-chief.
A rush of blood got the better of Raza, who holed out to deep midwicket off Avesh.
A complete breakdown in communication saw Johnathan Campbell run out first ball before Sundar picked two in two.
He first had Myers caught and bowled before having Masakadza stumped first ball.
Jongwe survived the hat-trick ball, but fell in the next over, lbw to Bishnoi.
Bishnoi picked up his fourth wicket by removing Muzarabani, Zimbabwe losing six wickets for 16 runs in 23 balls.
That Zimbabwe reached 115 was down to an unbroken last-wicket stand of 25 between Clive Madande and Chatara — and how useful those runs would eventually prove. — Cricinfo/Sports Reporter
