The hosts outplayed the young Indian team by 13 runs in the first match. But it’s fine. Everyone knows one has to go through such defeats during the new hiring process. India’s young blood still has four games to prove their worth but even thats not what they are here for. They are here to build a new team that can carry the legacy of their experienced countrymen. No one would mind winning a game or two, but Shubman Gill’s men should not forsake the real mission.
But no talks about young blood and secret missions should take away anything from Zimbabwe’s brilliant outing as a team. They first managed to put up a 115-run target on a pitch that was simply hostile for batters. The real magic, however, was weaved during the second innings, where the Chevrons bowled unlike a team that missed out on T20 World Cup qualification a few months ago.
Team Overview:
Ravi Bishnoi and Washington Sundar were the masterminds behind the Zimbabwean collapse. At the end of the first innings, it seemed India would easily get over the line. But just as the hosts collapsed, Shubman Gill’s men scattered like a house of cards which started as soon as Abhishek Sharma was sent back to the hut with a four-ball duck. Gill’s efforts to recover from the players departing frequently were commendable and his 29-ball-31 seemed gold in the game’s context, but a Sikander Raza carrom ball was all it took for him to jog back to the pavilion as well. All in all, it’s a young squad who have to fail, bounce back, then fail again, and then bounce back until they are seasoned like the players they want to replace.
Cometh the hour, cometh the man they say and Sikander Raza really showed up at the right time. All-rounders are the X-factors for T20I cricket and boy has Raza made enough proof to back that. Tendai Chatara did well to complement his skipper in wrapping up the Indian batting lineup. Zimbabwe were also not too bad with the bat too, having to bat first on a pitch with grass on it. There were frequent attempts to brew partnerships, and though none of them panned out properly, they would still be happy the way they chipped in. Brain Bennett is one for the future of the Chevrons. Both his batting (and explosive batting) and bowling skills could make him another of Zimbabwe’s brilliant all-rounders, forcing people to think if the nation has a cheat code for manufacturing them.
Head-to-Head Matches:
Both teams have crossed their swords nine times, with India winning 6 matches and Zimbabwe getting over the line in three.
Weather and Pitch Report:
The pitch did not change much throughout the game in the first match of the series. With this match as well as the remaining matches of the tour slated to be played here, one can expect the conditions to remain the same. Spinners will get the most out of the pitch, especially during the middle stages, however, pacers would find success bowling here as well. The only good thing for batters is that the pitch offers true bounce, once the grass becomes less hostile, they can look to flaunt their skills.
The game will not be affected by rain as Harare is forecasted to stay dry for a few days.
Prediction:
Its basically a contest between experience and … well no experience. The first game inclined towards the experience the hosts have, though the margin is not that big compared to India. One can expect the Indian team to bounce back and correct where they faltered in the previous game. In such contests, one can never rule out close, nail-biting games.
Where to Watch:
India – Sony Sports Network (Sony Sports Ten 3, Sony Sports Ten 4, and Sony Sports Ten 5) and Sony Liv App (Live Streaming)
Rest of the Word: Crichd.tv (Live Streaming)
