Zimbabwe Beat India In Thrilling T20

Zimbabwe finally got the losing monkey off their back with a 10-run win over India in the second and final T20 match in Harare.

Zimbabwe players celebrate after taking a wicket PIC: Zimbabwe Cricket

Having lost the first four matches (3 ODIs and a T20) Zimbabwe were under pressure to turn something around.

Man of The Match Chamu Chibhabha’s 67 looked to have gone to waste has wickets again regularly fell around him. The 146 set for the Indians looked to be a gift as it looked achievable on a wicket that was doing basically nothing.

Only Hamilton Masakadza (19) and Sean Williams (17) made double figures.

It was always going to be hard and stand-in captain Sikandar Raza (Elton Chigumbura was out with hamstring niggle) needed to be about his wits against the battle-hardened IPL stars in the Indian team. All of them play in the league.

Cremer taking two wickets in one over applied the pressure as he and Sean Williams went for few runs.

A spectacular catch off Chris Mpofu by Chibabha at deep mid-wicket to remove the dangerous Keydah Jadev had the boys believing. From then on the pressure was firmly on India.

The bowling and fielding was just top notch today and that was the difference. The 146 score was always going to be getable and only discipline with bowling and fielding was going to get a result.

Raza was quick to give credit to the whole team:

It wasn’t me who changed it. All the 11 guys on the pitch decided they were tired of just competing.

On whether he wanted to be captain going forward:

Elton is my captain and he has the fill backing of the whole dressing room. I just enjoy playing for Zimbabwe but if I am asked to contribute more than just bowling and batting then I will be happy.