I almost hanged myself: Zim coach Ntini

Zimbabwe interim coach Makhaya Ntini has blasted his batsmen for their poor decisions in the second ODI against India, saying they have enough experience to know when to hit out and when to leave a good delivery.

Zimbabwe lost the game by eight wickets after being bowled out for 126, and they lost their last six wickets for just 20 runs after being in a good position. Ntini was furious, saying batsmen like Vusi Sibanda and Elton Chigumbura should have known better.

“I almost hanged myself, if there was a tomato tree outside. It’s no good. We have experienced players with us who can easily read the game. We were in the perfect position,” Ntini was quoted as saying by SACricket Magazine in Sport24.

He implored the batsmen to take their time, and to play the deliveries on their merits rather than trying to hit every ball for six. He finally added that they still believed they could win the third match.

Ntini further said: “All of a sudden we lost two wickets, within one over. For me it tells straightaway that I think we never respect a good over. “It was a good over (Chahal’s fifth over) where we tried to force matters, that’s where the game changed. They need to learn that if someone is bowling very well, respect that.

“You have got a lot of time in 50 overs. The players need to have the maturity of being able to read the game and understand the situation.

“It’s how the Indian team batted. They read the situation, they knew that if there’s a good bowler, they respect that.”