Finance
At the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday, India overcame a valiant effort by Dion Myers to defeat Zimbabwe by 23 runs in the third T20I and grab a 2-1 series lead. Off-spin all-rounder Washington Sundar was at his economical best, picking 3-15.
Ruturaj Gaikwad hit a fast 28-ball 49, while captain Shubman Gill top-scored with a 49-ball 66 to lead India to 182/4 in 20 overs on a two-paced field. Zimbabwe’s response saw them cut to 39/5, but a 77-run sixth-wicket partnership between Myers and Clive Madande kept Zimbabwe in the hunt.
Myers proceeded to score 65 runs off of 49 balls without being dismissed, but it was in vain as Zimbabwe could only muster 159/6 in 20 overs, with the hosts going to rue their poor fielding performance playing a part in India posting a challenging total. Apart from Sundar’s three-fer, Avesh Khan picked 2-39, while Khaleel Ahmed was excellent in his 1-15.
India have early success in their defence of 182 as Avesh had Wesley Madhevere cut tamely to short cover. Khaleel struck when Tadiwanashe Marumani looked to hit on the up but mistimed to mid-on. Brian Bennett went for a cut off Avesh, but Ravi Bishnoi timed his jump well to complete a stunning catch at backward point.
Sikandar Raza tried to fight back by hitting three boundaries, but Washington had him slow-sweeping to deep mid-wicket in the seventh over. The off-spinner struck again in the same over by enticing Johnathan Campbell to drive and the outside edge was snapped by first slip.
In their explosive 77-run partnership for the sixth wicket, Madande and Myers feasted on breadth and sympathetic lengths from part-timers Abhishek Sharma and Shivam Dube, as well as from Bishnoi, hitting nine boundaries. After Madande attempted to go over and slog-sweep in response to Washington’s wide delivery, which broke the partnership, he holed out to deep mid-wicket.
Myers proceeded to score his first T20I fifty by tonking Bishnoi for six and clearing his front leg. Despite a late flourish by him and Wellington Masakadza that yielded eighteen runs in the final over against Avesh, Zimbabwe was defeated by India.
Brief scores:
India 182/4 in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 66, Ruturaj Gaikwad 49; Sikandar Raza 2-24, Blessing Muzarabani 2-25) beat Zimbabwe 159/6 in 20 overs (Dion Myers 65 not out, Clive Madande 37; Washington Sundar 3-15, Avesh Khan 2-39) by 23 runs
Source:IANS
