ZIMBABWE captain, Sikandar Raza picked three crucial wickets to help the Chevrons to a 13-run victory over the reigning world champions, India, in the opening match of the T20I series at Harare Sports Club on Saturday.
Raza’s excellent all-round performance coupled with bowler Tendai Chatara’s disciplined bowling and batsman Clive Madande’s rescue mission late in the host’s batting innings ensured Zimbabwe’s victory.
Raza first helped his team to 115/9 in their allotted overs before spinning the ball to perfection with his offspin picking up three wickets for 25 runs in his four-over spell to derail India’s run-chase.
India skipper Shubman Gill opted to field first after winning the toss and sent the hosts in to bat. Zimbabwe started off badly losing opener Innocent Kaia for a golden duck in the second over.
Brian Bennett and Wessly Madhevere stabilised the innings with a 34-run partnership before Bennett fell for 22 runs off India’s pick of the bowlers, Ravi Bishnoi in the sixth over. Bishnoi finished with four wickets for 13 runs.
Despite the middle-order collapse, Zimbabwe managed to post a modest total riding on the back of Dion Myers’s 23, Raza’s 17 from 19 and Madande’s unbeaten 29 runs off 25 balls deep in the innings which turned out to be the all-important contribution for Zimbabwe.
In their chase, India found the going tough against Zimbabwe’s disciplined bowling attack. Raza struck crucial blows, dismissing Indian captain Gill.
Blessing Muzarabani and Luke Jongwe also bowled with precision, while Tendai Chatara chipped in with three wickets as India ultimately fell short, and they were bowled out for 102 runs in 19.5 overs.
Zimbabwean captain Raza, who was also the Player of the match, acknowledged the team’s hard work while also admitting room for improvement.
“We didn’t drop a catch today and I think six catches went up. So that’s a great start,” Raza said.
“Today I didn’t care what happens as long as we show the fight today and we proved to the crowd that we are trying to learn, to grow and to do everything we can to win the game. And sometimes results go your way and sometimes it doesn’t.”
