Zimbabwe beat India by 2 runs in first T20

Published June 18, 2016
Zimbabwean players celebrate after winning the T20 International cricket match against India.  —AP
Zimbabwean players celebrate after winning the T20 International cricket match against India. —AP

HARARE: Zimbabwe held its nerve to beat India by two runs in the first Twenty20 on Saturday as Mahendra Singh Dhoni failed to hit a four off the last ball for the win.

Zimbabwe seamer Neville Madziva conceded just five off the last over, and removed the dangerous-looking Axar Patel, as India fell short of the home team's 170-6.

Chigumbura pummelled seven sixes as he took Zimbabwe to 170 for six in their 20 overs having been sent into bat by the tourists.

India lost opener Lokesh Rahul on his Twenty20 debut in the first ball of their reply, but they went into the final over from seamer Neville Madziva needing eight to win.

That was reduced to four off the last ball with Mahendra Singh Dhoni on strike, but he could only bludgeon the ball to deep point and Zimbabwe celebrated a second consecutive victory over India in the 20-over format.

Aside from Chigumbura, Malcolm Waller (30 from 21 balls) and opener Hamilton Masakadza (25 from 15 balls) gave Zimbabwe their highest score against India in Twenty20 cricket.

India were behind the run-rate for much of their innings, but Manish Pandey (48 from 35 balls) kept them in the hunt until the last over.

With Dhoni on strike it looked like advantage to the tourists, but Madziva bowled a succession of excellent yorkers to limit India to five runs.

India ended on 168-6. Zimbabwe's total was set up by 54 not out off 26 balls from Elton Chigumbura and 30 from Malcolm Waller.

Manish Pandey made 48 for India, which easily won the one-day series 3-0 and was expected to continue its dominance in the three-match T20 series.

Aside from Rahul, the visitors handed 20-over debuts to batsman Mandeep Singh, seamer Jaydev Unadkat, all-rounder Rishi Dhawan and leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal.

The second Twenty20 match will be played at the same venue on Monday.

Opinion

Editorial

All out
Updated 25 Feb, 2025

All out

PAKISTAN cricket captain Mohammad Rizwan’s assessment was brutal — it could not have been any other way. At ...
Bearing the brunt
25 Feb, 2025

Bearing the brunt

FOR the past several months, we have repeatedly been told by the prime minister and his cabinet that the government...
Afghan resettlement
25 Feb, 2025

Afghan resettlement

AFGHAN refugees who fled their country after the Taliban took over in 2021, and who hoped to resettle in the West,...
Taliban divisions
Updated 24 Feb, 2025

Taliban divisions

The only workable solution lies in Mullah Akhundzada loosening his iron grip on the country.
Oblivious to drought
24 Feb, 2025

Oblivious to drought

PAKISTAN faces two types of drought: one caused by dry weather or lower-than-normal rainfall, and the other ...
Digital children
24 Feb, 2025

Digital children

AS most parents with young children will agree, the easiest way to pacify a bawling child is to hand them a...