In the fourth Twenty20 International at the Harare Sports Club here on Saturday, India held Zimbabwe to 152/7 thanks to a collective bowling display led by left-arm bowler Khaleel Ahmed, who got 2-32. With a wicket apiece, Tushar Deshpande, Washington Sundar, Abhishek Sharma, and Shivam Dube gave Khaleel some respectable support.
Tadiwanashe Marumani and Wesley Madhevere opened the Zimbabwean innings with a 63-run partnership. But as the pair collapsed in rapid succession, the hosts lost their bearings. With a 28-ball 46, captain Sikandar Raza came up to lead Zimbabwe past 150.
At a strike rate of 164.29, his fast-paced knock featured three sixes and two fours, but Zimbabwe lost between ten to fifteen runs when he was dismissed at the close of the innings. Forced to bat first, Madhevere and Marumani struck seven boundaries apiece in their opening combination of 63 runs, giving Zimbabwe a respectable start.
For the first time in the series, Zimbabwe did not lose a wicket in the Power-play, thanks to Marumani’s good fortune when Dube dropped a catch at mid-on in the third over. When Marumani misplayed the pull to mid-wicket in the ninth over, Abhishek took his maiden wicket in the Twenty20 Internationals, and India finally broke through. Madhevere fell in the next over after Dube’s deep square leg caught a top-edge on a draw.
By hitting a boundary off of Dube and Abhishek, Raza gave the innings some much-needed momentum and became the first player from Zimbabwe to score 2000 runs in men’s T20I cricket. However, Zimbabwe kept picking up wickets when Washington was covered by Brian Bennett with an impish cut, and Ravi Bishnoi ran out Jonathan Campbell with a straight smash at the non-striker’s end.
Raza kept up his good form, slog-sweeping Washington for six and then swinging his arms freely at Khaleel to take an 18-run over for four (off a free hit) and six. However, rookie bowler Deshpande claimed his maiden wicket in an international match when he forced Raza to give up a big shot in favour of a skier.
The bowler, who struck again on the last ball of the innings when Clive Madande pulled straight to deep mid-wicket, took advantage of Dion Myers’ early flick off a slower delivery from Khaleel.
Quick scores:
Zimbabwe defeated India 152/7 in 20 overs (Shivam Dube 1-11, Khaleel Ahmed 2-32, Sikandar Raza 46, Tadiwanashe Marumani).