By: Tarish Bhatt
With an aiming of posing a challenge to the Indian team in the shortest format of the game, Zimbabwe will be batting first in the 1st T20 at the Harare Sports Club. Indian captain MS Dhoni asked Zimbabwe to bat first, after cleansweeping the three-match ODI series.
India, meanwhile, added five debutants in he playing XI for the opening T20. Rishi Dhawan, Mandeep Singh, Jaydev Unadkat, KL Rahul and Yuzvendra Chahal got their maiden caps ahead of the toss.
“They would have batted first and we would have bowled,” Dhoni said. “Five debutants, fresh team. If you see, they aren’t people who have played many internationals but they have played lots of domestic cricket. A lot depends on how you bowl, 140-150 looks like it can be achieved.”
Zimbabwe will be aiming to turn the tables in the format that suits them better. Beating India, however, is going to be a gigantic task for them, seeing most players are heading into the tour fresh from the IPL.
India XI: KL Rahul, Mandeep Singh, Ambati Rayudu, Manish Pandey, MS Dhoni (c & wk), Kedar Jadhav, Axar Patel, Rishi Dhawan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Jaydev Unadkat and Jasprit Bumrah.
Zimbabwe XI: Chamu Chibhabha, Hamilton Masakadza, Sikandar Raza, Malcolm Waller, Elton Chigumbura, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Richmond Mutumbami (wk), Graeme Cremer (c), Neville Madziva, Taurai Muzarabani and Donald Tiripano.
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