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India’s journey in T20Is started disappointingly as the fresh-faced team led by Shubman Gill suffered a 13-run defeat to Zimbabwe at Harare Sports Club. Despite boasting IPL stars, India faltered against Zimbabwe’s disciplined bowling attack, failing to chase down a modest target of 115. This loss handed Zimbabwe a 1-0 lead in the 5-match T20I series. Captain Sikandar Raza and Tendai Chatara starred with the ball, taking 3 wickets each to bundle out India for 102 with one ball remaining.
The young Indian squad, under Gill’s leadership, opted to bowl first and excelled in restricting Zimbabwe to 115/9 at Harare Sports Club. Ravi Bishnoi was exceptional, recording career-best figures of 4/13 including two maidens, while Washington Sundar also contributed with crucial wickets. However, India’s batting struggled in reply, with Zimbabwe’s bowlers dismantling their lineup and pushing them towards a potential series-opening defeat.
India experimented with a new opening pair of Gill and debutant Abhishek Sharma. Despite Sharma’s impressive IPL form, he failed to deliver on his international debut, falling for a duck after facing just four balls from Brain Bennet. Ruturaj Gaikad followed suit shortly after, caught behind off Blessing Muzarbani, adding pressure on India. Tendai Chatara further dented India’s hopes by dismissing Riyan Parag and Rinku Singh in quick succession, leaving the debutant from Assam and the returning Singh struggling at the crease.
By the Powerplay, India found themselves 4 wickets down for 28 runs, with Gill battling amidst the early collapse. Joined by Dhruv Jurel, another debutant, they managed a brief 21-run partnership for the fifth wicket before Luke Jongwe removed Jurel in the 10th over. Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza then dismissed Gill and Ravi Bishnoi in successive overs, extinguishing any hopes of an Indian comeback.
Avesh Khan provided a late spark with three boundaries in his 16-run cameo, but his dismissal off Wellington Masakadza’s full toss to Raza at long-off left Washington Sundar to lead India’s desperate chase. Sundar’s valiant effort in the final over proved insufficient, managing only 2 runs before falling to Chatara’s delivery near backward square-leg, as India fell short by 13 runs in their T20I opener against Zimbabwe.
Earlier in the match, Zimbabwe began their innings energetically, reaching 40 for two within the Powerplay despite some shaky moments for their batsmen. Innocent Kaia was dismissed early, chopping a delivery from Mukesh Kumar onto his stumps, but Wessly Madhevere and Brian Bennett swiftly added 34 runs together.
Their partnership peaked in the fifth over, where they plundered 17 runs off left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed. Bennett struck two consecutive boundaries, suggesting Zimbabwe had recovered well from the early setback.
However, the momentum shifted when Ravi Bishnoi removed Bennett in the sixth over, altering the course of Zimbabwe’s innings. From there, the hosts struggled to accelerate, reaching 74 for three, largely due to captain Sikandar Raza’s patient 17 off 19 balls. Unfortunately for Zimbabwe, they lost their way thereafter, losing six wickets for just 41 runs.
