India are in trouble while batting. An African nation has picked up a few early wickets in the Powerplay. One of the Indian openers, who has looked more in control than any of his fellow top order batters on a tricky pitch, has to hold one end up.
A week earlier in Barbados, India managed to recover well enough from that situation to post what was eventually a match-winning total against South Africa and become World Champions. This Saturday in Harare, an Indian team without any of the squad members from that day couldn’t arrest a collapse against a spirited Zimbabwe side who registered a famous win. Cricket, a funny game.
A team that hadn’t qualified for the World Cup defeated the country with the biggest resources in the game that feted its champions lavishly, with both love and money.
.@SRazaB24 named Player of the Match for his excellent display in #ZIMvIND 👏
17 (19) with the bat 🏏
3/25 with the ball ☝️ pic.twitter.com/cnIRVIOMaa— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) July 6, 2024
Don’t let the strength of India’s squad take anything away from Sikandar Raza’s men. In front of an adoring crowd – Harare surely must have one of the best vibes for a venue in international cricket – Zimbabwe prevailed in a low-scoring thriller by 13 runs, defending 115 with every ounce of their collective strength.
While India is still basking in the glory of the World Cup triumph – the sounds of lakhs cheering in Mumbai perhaps still lingering in the air – a team earmarked to be the future in the T20 format came up short. It does set up the five-match series perfectly.
Young batting line-up falters
Leading from the front was Raza with a three-for, including the big breakthrough of Shubman Gill but in the first half, it was Clive Madande who took the side from 90/9 to 115/9, with what proved to be a match-winning knock of 29. He did all the scoring in a 25-run 10th-wicket partnership.
India have selected a squad looking to rebuild for 2026 but there was a rustiness to their performance. That India captain Gill chose to reflect on the fielding of his side in the post-match analysis sat well in contrast with a moment in the last over of the run-chase as Johnathan Campbell produced a moment of magic while manning the rope on the offside. Washington Sundar, India’s last hope, seemed to have found the gap with a lofted shot but didn’t run. Campbell got across to his left at break-neck speed, dived to stop the ball and released it quickly. Khaleel Ahmed, the non-striker, had nearly run two all by himself but it was eventually a dot ball that was met with massive cheers at the Harare Sports Club.
Zimbabwe win the first T20I by 13 runs 🎉 #ZIMvIND pic.twitter.com/cy88BNqogL
— Zimbabwe Cricket (@ZimCricketv) July 6, 2024
Washington’s late hand wasn’t enough and when the dismissal of the No. 10 batter to a full toss (Avesh Khan, after an entertaining cameo) feels pivotal, one knows the batting has disappointed. Other than Gill, who tried replicating what Kohli did in Barbados and looked the most assured of India’s batters, the likes of Abhishek Sharma, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh and Dhruv Jurel were all guilty of succumbing to rash shots. The intent was in line with what the senior team has displayed, but the execution wasn’t. It was a reality check, one that India’s talented young batters should learn from.
“We bowled well, but we let ourselves down in the field. We looked a bit rusty,” Gill said after the match. “We wanted to take time, enjoy the batting, but didn’t pan out that way. Halfway down, we’d lost five wickets. Would’ve been best if I’d stayed till the end. Disappointed with the way I got out and how it panned out.”
Bishnoi shines
In his prediction for the T20 World Cup, former England captain Eoin Morgan had said, “Favourites for me are India. They are so, so strong. I think they probably could have selected two squads and still be competitive with both.”
It is no exaggeration, as even after excluding the whole squad that finished on a high in the Caribbean, India fielded an XI with just three debutants and plenty of T20 experience. It was a side brimming with IPL stars, and even names that many Indian fans and followers wanted in the squad for the Americas.
One of those was Ravi Bishnoi and he emerged as India’s brightest spot in an otherwise uninspiring display in Harare. For a majority of his spell, the leg-spinner (or rather, right-arm googly bowler) was unplayable. He picked up a wicket off his first ball, with one that spun into Brian Bennett and just brushed the off-stump to disturb the bail. Wessly Madhevere, Luke Jongwe and Blessing Muzarabani were also beaten by the ball that turned in, either bowled or LBW. That Bishnoi produced a career-best spell of 4/13 was a timely reminder of his talent. That he was needed to play a hand with the bat too at No 8 in a run-chase of 116 was reflective of India’s batting on the day in Zimbabwe.
Brief scores: Zimbabwe 115/9 in 20 overs (Clive Madande 29 not out; Ravi Bishnoi 4/13, Washington Sundar 2/11) beat India 102 in 19.5 overs (Shubman Gill 31, Washington Sundar 27; Tendai Chatara 3/16, Sikandar Raza 3/25) by 13 runs
