The Zimbabwe cricket team, also known as the Chevrons, is hosting the Indian team, who are enjoying their highs after winning the recently held T20 World Cup in the USA and West Indies. However, it seems India’s post-party celebrations took a hit. Zimbabwe handed India their first T20I loss of the year.
In the first T20I, India gave three young guns a debut gift, Riyan Parag, Abhishek Sharma, and Dhruv Jurel. Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to field against Zimbabwe. It’s fair to say his decision went all wrong, especially when they came to bat. Looking at the game, the Chevrons showed initial batting prowess but failed to capitalize on those opportunities as India restricted them to a score of 115. However, Clive Madande’s 12 runs off Avesh Khan’s over turned out to be crucial for Zimbabwe.
Mukesh Kumar strikes early!
Wessly Madhevere looked in good touch, posting three boundaries early, although his opening partner, Innocent Kaia, struggled to find his feet and went for a duck. Mukesh Kumar’s impressive bowling gave the early breakthrough, although ‘The Chevrons’ retaliated thanks to Brian Bennett’s small cameo inning of 22 runs with a strike rate of 146.66, provided a base of a thriller. However, other batters failed to capitalize and fell like bowling pins, one after another.
Ravi Bishnoi stamped his career-best figures
Apart from Mukesh’s early scalp, previously ranked ICC No. 1 T20I bowler Ravi Bishnoi came out on top with his leg break at Harare Sports Club, where the surface is predominantly supposed to support fast bowlers, providing a perfect even bounce. He took four important wickets and gave up just 13 runs.
Although Zimbabwe failed to do much with the bat, making just 115 runs, when they held the white ball, they looked lethal and created havoc among Indian batters, scalping 5 wickets in under ten overs.
India’s debutant trio failed to make their mark
Riyan Parag, Abhishek Sharma, and Dhruv Jurel have failed to keep their promises and fell one after another. Firstly, the opener Abhishek Sharma, whose IPL batting seemed restricted to that league only, as his big hitting shots didn’t land this time and fell to Wellington Masakadza’s hand.
On the other hand, Riyan Parag also failed to do something promising on his debut, and then Dhruv Jurel, who was looking in good touch, also succumbed to pace. It’s right to say that all the hype went in vain, as all three players collectively made just 8 runs.
Zimbabwe dances in victory!
No Rinku Singh, no Shubman Gill, and no Ruturaj Gaikwad, all knelt down in front of Zimbabwean bowlers, especially Sikandar Raza and Tendai Chatara, who each scalped two wickets and rightfully destroyed the Indian batting lineup. Although Avesh Khan’s quick 16 runs off just 12 balls gave some hope, nothing came to the rescue as India lost the game by 13 runs, marking their first T20 World Cup defeat of the year.
