IND vs ZIM highlights, 2nd T20I: India beats Zimbabwe by 100 runs, levels series 1-1

Dominating performance by India. Abhishek Sharma set up the tone with a terrific 100 in just his second T20I. Ruturaj Gaikwad and Rinku Singh then helped India finish on a high, taking the total to 234/2. 

Zimbabwe was never in the chase as it lost four wickets inside PowerPlay. Avesh Khan and Mukesh Kumar took three wickets each. India has leveled the five-match series 1-1. Three more games left. 

100 runs is India’s fifth-highest win by margin of runs in T20Is.

Mukesh is back. Jongwe goes for a slog but is beaten. Full toss and Jongwe hits it straight. Misfield by Abhishek in the deep and it goes for four. Another full toss and is put away for four. It’s a no ball as well. OUT! Jongwe slices the ball straight deep backward point. All over. India wins by 100 runs!

Avesh for his third. Too wide outside off despite Jongwe moving towards the ball. Strike rotation continues. OUT! Muzarabani gets a top edge and an easy catch for the mid on inside circle. 

Tendai Chatara is the last man in. Four runs and a wicket in that over. 

Bishnoi is back. OUT! Madhevere is gone. He comes down the track, it was a straighter one by Bishnoi and goes through the gate. Leg stump is uprooted. Madhevere falls for 43 off 39 balls. 

Muzarabani the new man in. How long can Zimbabwe stay at the crease, it’s a test of Indian bowlers on how quickly can they wrap things up. Four runs and a wicket in that over. 

Sundar is back. Short ball and Jongwe pulls the ball towards midwicket for four. Nice shot that. India would be hoping to wrap up the tail soon. That’s what was lacking yesterday as well. 

Abhishek continues. Spun away from the right handed Jongwe, who is beaten. Jurel appeal for stumping. But the foot is grounded, third umpire rules. SIX! Madhevere keeps the home crowd going with a slog sweep. 100-up for Zimbabwe. 

Riyan Parag bowling for the first time in T20Is. Starts off with an off spinner. Jongwe takes a single on the second ball. Madhevere reverse sweeps and gets a double. Didn’t time it perfectly but just enough. Five runs from the over. 

Abhishek Sharma is back. Madhevere welcomes him with a four towards extra cover. Eight runs in that over. 

Sundar. Masakadza taps the ball and looks for a quick single but Jurel hits directly at the bowler’s end. He goes for three-ball 1. 

Luke Jongwe the new man in. India heading towards a massive win. Jongwe smartly ramps over the keeper and gets a boundary. Smart shot. Made use of the spin. 

Bishnoi continues. Plenty of attempted sweeps against Bishnoi. OUT! Madande is given out LBW. Quicker one and stayed on backfoot to play it. Got beaten and umpire had no problem giving it. Madande has reviewed it though. Decision stays. Zimbabwe is six down. Four runs and a wicket in that over. 

Sundar continues. Full toss and Campbell goes for a slog sweep but doesn’t time it well and is caught in the deep. He had to do something else the chase wasn’t going anywhere. Scored a 10 off 18 balls. 

Clive Madande at number seven. Three singles and a wicket in that over. 

Bishnoi. Campbell attempts a reverse sweep but gets beaten. An almost celebrappeal by keeper and the bowler but umpire says not out. Gill is not interested to review as well. Plenty of attempts for sweep and reverse sweeps by Campbell. He finally hits one and gets a double towards square leg. 

Washington Sundar with his off spin now. Short ball and Madhevere cuts him for four! Confidence booster shot for him. Strike rotation continues between the two batters. That has been key here as we saw in the first innings as well. Eight runs from the over. 

Ravi Bishnoi into the attack. Down the leg and keeper appeals for caught behind. No response from the umpire. Googly attack by Bishnoi! Just one run in that over. 

Avesh. Squares of Campbell! The ball just nips away from the left hander. Boundaries not coming as frequently as they should. Madhevere is surviving. Unable to time most of his shots. Campbell cuts, misfield by the fielder at extra cover and the batters run a double. 

Mukesh continues. A half-hearted appeal for LBW on the first ball. Johnathan Campbell takes a single off his first ball. Still a bit of lateral movement for pacers. Madhevere hasn’t been able to get set. Quite a few plays and misses. Inside edge and Madhevere gets a boundary! 

Avesh Khan into the attack. Dion Myers is the new man in. 

An appeal for LBW against Madhevere but umpire isn’t interested. India takes the review. Wickets umpire’s call. So a good review by India but Madhevere is saved by a marginal call. OUT! Myers is gone for a golden duck. Length ball and Myer hits the ball straight to cover fielder inside circle. 

Sikandar Raza. Down the leg wide and brilliantly kept by Jurel behind the stumps. Raza is off the mark with a boundary. Down the leg and he guides it towards fine leg. OUT! Raza is gone too. Short ball and Raza isn’t able to keep the ball down. Gloves it and the ball goes straight to the keeper. 

Mukesh continues. Madhevere takes a double towards leg side. Short ball and down the leg also, will be called wide. Madhevere almost chops on! Gets a single. SIX! Bennett slaps the length ball back into the midwicket stand. Huge six. And another! Full ball this time and he launches it straight over the bowler’s head. Fantastic batting by Bennett. OUT! Tries to slog towards leg side but misses it and ball crashes into the stumps. 

Abhishek Sharma with his left arm spin now. Bennett takes a single on the first ball. SIX! Bennett gets into the act quickly. Full ball and he launches the ball straight. Brilliant shot. Down the leg: beats the batter as well as the keeper and it goes for five wides. Now Bennett cuts late and past short third fielder for four! Smart batting. 

Mukesh Kumar with the new ball. FOUR! Innocent Kaia slogs it towards square leg for four! Brilliant start. They need plenty of those. OUT! Kaia loses his off stump on the third ball of the innings. Just a hint of swing into the right hander but the ball finds plenty of gap between bat and pad. 

Brian Bennett in at three. Five runs and a wicket in that over. 

Jongwe to bowl the last over. Gaikwad begins the over with a sweep over fine leg for four. Full toss and easy pickings for him. Hits the next ball towards long on for a single. Rinku gets an under edge but the ball goes past short fine for four! Nothing going Zimbabwe’s way. SIX! Rinku pulls the short ball just over the square leg boundary. He ends the innings with a SIX! Straight over the bowler’s head. 

Rinku remains unbeaten on 48 off 22 while Gaikwad scored 77 not out in 47 balls. 

Muzarabani. Gaikwad is beaten as he tries to make room towards leg side. Gets a single on the next ball. Too wide outside off for Rinku. Rinku launches the ball into the sky. A HUGE SIX over long on. 104m that. 200-up for India with that massive hit. Top edge and Rinku adds two more to the total. Another SIX! Powerful strike that towards midwicket. 

Chatara closing out his quota of overs. Gaikwad smacks the ball straight past the bowler and gets a boundary! SIX! Fuller ball and Gaikwad lofts it over long on. Another four! Slower bouncer and Gaikwad gets a thick outside edge that goes over short third fielder. And another. This is beautifully timed past backward point for four. 

Jongwe for his third. FOUR! Rinku Singh hits the wide yorker past backward point. Terrific shot. Jongwe trying his best to keep the ball away from Rinku. Gaikwad end the over with a four towards cover. He reaches his fifty in 38 balls. 

Muzarabani is back. Rinku cuts for a single. Gaikwad hasn’t been able to hit shots at will so far. SIX! Rinku gets going with a beautiful shot over cover. Came down the track for that. Brilliantly timed. India will look to go close to 210 from here. Gaikwad slogs the length ball towards long on but the fielder drops it! To make things worse, it goes for four. 

Rinku Singh is the new man in. 

Chatara for his third over. Rinku is off the mark with a single. Slightly quiet over now for India, Zimbabwe will be glad. Five runs from the over. 

Masakadza for his second. SIX! Abhishek gets one in the slot and he goes over midwicket. Follows it up with another SIX. Charges down and slogs it over square leg. SIX AND HUNDRED FOR ABHISHEK SHARMA! It took him just 46 balls to get to the milestone. Lower full toss hit swept over fine leg. OUT! Abhishek departs on the next ball. Once again tries to go over but gets a top edge. Terrific knock though. Abhishek is gone for 100 off 47 balls. Seven fours and eight sixes in that innings.

Raza is back and Abhishek launches him straight for a SIX! Brilliant batting this. Now he goes over cover and gets another boundary! Fielder had a slight chance to catch it though. Now Gaikwad too joins the party. Sweeps the ball behind square leg for four. Sweetly timed. Huge appeal for a caught behind against Abhishek and umpire gives it. He has reviewed it though. Drifting down the leg. Could be an unlucky dismissal. No spike. Decision is turned. Not out.

Masakadza into the attack. Strike rotation has been on point today. Abhishek does try to go straight over the bowler’s head but doesn’t the ball well and gets a double only. Abhishek isn’t able to time the ball well in this over. Eight runs from the over. 

Dion Myers into the attack. Plenty of medium pacers in the Zimbabwe squad. Starts off with a wide. Short ball and Abhishek pulls it for four! Gentle medium pace. Too easy for Abhishek. SIX and fifty for Abhishek!! Half-century in 33 balls. Another short ball pulled over fine leg. And another four. Once again over fine leg. Too easy for Abhishek. Full ball and lofts the ball over cover for a SIX! Ends the over with another boundary. Thick edge past short fine leg. 28 runs in the over.

Jongwe. Gaikwad drives the first ball for four. Very nice cover drive that. Another drive and another four! This time square of the wicket. Strike rotation continues for the rest of the over. 11 runs from the over. 

Raza. Short ball and Abhishek slaps the ball towards midwicket for four. Follows it up with a SIX! Comes down the track and plays inside out over cover. Superb shot. While Abhishek has tried to force things, Gaikwad continues to focus on strike rotation. 

Luke Jongwe into the attack. Abhishek takes a single on the first ball. Gaikwad pushes the ball towards leg side and gets another single. You can see Abhishek trying to force things. And as I say this, he lofts the ball high in the air and the fielder at long off comes under the ball and DROPS IT! That was a sitter. Lucky for Abhishek. Jongwe drifts down the leg and Gaikwad sends the ball past short fine leg for four. 

Sikander Raza into the attack. Gaikwad takes a single on the first ball. Abhishek gets a single on the third ball. Some good bowling and conditions have to do with India’s approach in the PowerPlay. Four singles from the over. 

Chatara again. Abhishek ALMOST chops it onto the stumps. Gets a single though. Gaikwad gets him back on strike on the next ball. India looking to rotate strike more rather than hitting boundaries. Seven runs from the over. 

Muzarabani is back. Abhishek taps the ball towards point and takes a quick single. Gaikwad was in trouble had it hit the stumps. Another terrific over so far by Muzarabani. Just one run from the over. 

Change in bowling. Tendai Chatara into the attack. Gaikwad defends the first ball. Takes a single on the next ball. Abhishek is beaten on the third ball and takes a single on the next. Quiet over so far, one ball to go. On the pads and Gaikwad pushes the ball towards square leg and gets a boundary. 

Bennett continues. Smacked away for four on the first ball. Punched away towards cover. Follows it up with another boundary. Almost a replay of the shot on the first ball. Terrific hitting. Gaikwad is also off the mark with a single towards long on. Abhishek lofts on the last ball towards long off and gets a double. 

Blessing Muzarabani into the attack. OUT! Gill is gone. Full ball and Gill tries to go over mid on but ends up hitting the ball straight to the fielder. Maybe too full to hit over the fielder, Gill might think now. 

Ruturaj Gaikwad in at three. First ball hits straight to the bowler but he drops it! Lucky escape on the first ball. Gaikwad taking his time. No run from the over so far in five balls. An LBW shout against Gaikwad on the last ball. Umpire says not out. No review taken. Maiden over. 

Brian Bennett to open the bowling with his off spin. Shubman Gill pushes the ball towards long on for a single on the first ball. Abhishek is off the mark with a SIX! What a way to get going in T20I cricket. Account opened. Short ball and pulled over square leg. 10 runs from the first over. 

Abhishek Sharma and Shubman Gill open the innings for India. Team Zimbabwe is in a huddle. Umpires are in the middle. 

Same pitch that was used yesterday. Spinners bowled in the good length area. The wickets are coming from a back of a length on this pitch. The fuller the ball, batting becomes easier, reckons Abhinav Mukund. 

India - Shubman Gill(c), Abhishek Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh, Dhruv Jurel(w), Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar

Zimbabwe - Wessly Madhevere, Innocent Kaia, Brian Bennett, Sikandar Raza (capt), Dion Myers, Johnathan Campbell, Clive Madande (wk), Wellington Masakadza, Luke Jongwe, Blessing Muzarabani, Tendai Chatara

India wins the toss and opts to bat first. Sai Sudharsan is making his T20I debut today. He comes in place of Khaleel Ahmed. 

“It’s a second-string Indian side, but there are a lot of good players in there. So, we are looking forward to this series,” Wellington Masakadza said. 

IND vs ZIM: ‘Zimbabwe will look to exploit home conditions against India,’ says spinner Wellington Masakadza

IND vs ZIM: Zimbabwe spinner Wellington Masakadza said India should take the home side lightly at its own risk, and added that they will exploit the home conditions to the maximum to win the five-match series.

“It was a good game of cricket, but we collapsed, lost continuous wickets. A partnership would have made the game better for us. We could not do that. I think that made the difference.”

ZIM vs IND, 1st T20I: Need to bounce back stronger after collapse, says Ravi Bishnoi

Ravi Bishnoi said the team needs to bounce back stronger and return to the field for the second T20I with a fresh mind after suffering an unexpected defeat against an inexperienced Zimbabwe side.

“I am very disappointed with the way I got out and the rest of the match panned out.”

ZIM vs IND 1st T20I: Disappointed with the way I got out, our batting didn’t pan out as planned, says Gill

India skipper Shubman Gill on Saturday said he should have carried the bat through the first T20I against Zimbabwe, while terming his side’s batting effort as ‘disappointing’.

2007 - India - Beat Australia by 7 wickets

2009 - Pakistan - Beat Sri Lanka by 52 runs

2010 - England - Beat Pakistan by 5 wickets 

2012 - West Indies - Beat Bangladesh by 18 runs 

2014 - Sri Lanka - Beat England by 9 runs 

2016 - West Indies - Beat India by 1 run 

2021 - Australia - Beat Sri Lanka by 20 runs 

2022 - England - Lost to Bangladesh by 6 wickets 

2024 - India - Lost to Zimbabwe by 13 runs

Riyan Parag, Abhishek Sharma, and Dhruv Jurel made their T20I debuts. Zimbabwe scored 115/9 but India lost the match by 13 runs. 

Here’s the report from Saturday:

ZIM vs IND, 1st T20I: Zimbabwe stuns India by 13 runs to win opener

Zimbabwe pulled off a shock win over a second-string India in the first T20I in Harare on Saturday.

The second T20I is scheduled to start at 4:30 PM IST. Toss will take place at 4:00 PM IST. 

The second T20I match between Zimbabwe and India will be telecast on the Sony Sports Network. The match will also be available from streaming through the SonyLiv app and website.