India vs Zimbabwe T20: Back to winning ways

India rode on young seamer Barinder Sran’s memorable debut performance to notch up a crushing 10-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the second Twenty20 International and level the three-match series 1-1 here on Monday.

Asked to bowl after the coin landed in favour of Zimbabwe skipper Graeme Cremer, a determined India restricted the hosts to 99/9 with Sran returning the best figures by an Indian debutant in T20 format, to lay the foundation at the Harare Sports Club.

Mandeep Singh (52) and K.L. Rahul (47) then led the way with unbeaten knocks as the visitors chased down the target with 41 balls to spare.

This was India’s first 10-wicket win in this format.

Sran (4/10) was ably assisted by Jasprit Bumrah, who picked up three wickets for 11 runs in his quota of four overs.

Sran finished with excellent figures in his quota of four overs, which is the second best globally. Before Sran, Pragyan Ojha (4/21) against Bangladesh in 2009 World T20, held the Indian record.

The duo of Sran and Bumrah picked up seven wickets between them while giving away just 21 runs in eight economical overs.

Owing to the pace duo’s efforts, India staged a strong fightback after a shocking two-run loss in the opening T20 International of the three-match series at the same venue. Bangladesh’s Elias Sunny (5/13) holds the record for the best bowling figures by a debutant in T20 Internationals.

Chasing a meagre total, India were off to a flying start with openers Rahul and Mandeep hardly facing any trouble against a mediocre Zimbabwean bowling attack.

While Mandeep smashed six fours and a six, Rahul found the fence two times and also cleared it twice, as India made short work of the chase. Zimbabwe struggled not just with the bat and ball, but in the field too as Mandeep was dropped on 23. As Mandeep pulled Chamu Chibhabha’s short delivery straight to the deep square leg fielder, the ball bounced off his hands and landed on the other side of the rope for a six.

SCOREBOARD Zimbabwe: C. Chibhabha c Rayudu b Sran 10, H. Masakadza b Sran 10, P. Moor c Patel b Bumrah 31, S. Raza c Rahul b Sran 1, C. Mutombodzi lbw b Sran 0, M. Waller c Patel b Chahal 14, E. Chigumbura b Bumrah 8, G. Cremer c Rayudu b Kulkarni 4, N. Madziva b Bumrah 1, D. Tiripano (not out) 11, T. Muzarabani (not out) 0. Extras: (lb4, w4, nb1) 9. Total: (for 9 wkts, in 20 overs) 99. FoW: 1-14, 2-26, 3-28, 4-28, 5-57, 6-75, 7-81, 8-83, 9-91. Bowling: Sran 4-0-10-4 (1w), Kulkarni 4-0-32-1 (2w), Patel 4-0-23-0, Chahal 4-1-19-1 (1nb, 1w), Bumrah 4-0-11-3.

India: K.L. Rahul (not out) 47, Mandeep Singh (not out) 52. Extras: (w3, nb1) 4. Total (for no loss in 13.1 overs) 103. Bowling: Tiripano 3-0-11-0 (1w), Madziva 2.1-0-19-0, Muzarabani 2-0-17-0, Cremer 3-0-24-0 (1w), Chibhabha 2-0-23-0 (1nb), Raza 1-0-9-0.