It was another complete performance from Team India against Zimbabwe, as the visitors went 1-0 up in the two-match series at the Harare Sports Club.
The Ajinkya Rahane-led side defeated Zimbabwe by 54 runs and remained unbeaten on the tour. Bowlers, spinners in particular, were instrumental in India’s win.
Axar Patel and Harbhajan Singh shared five Zimbabwe wickets between them, while knotting the batsmen at the same time, ensuring a clinical win in the 1st T20I.
Zimbabwe could only manage to post 124 at an expense of seven wickets in stipulated 20 overs, in reply of Team India’s mammoth 178 runs total.
Earlier, after electing to bat first, India made a lighting start with Ajinkya Rahane and Murali Vijay, as the openers stitched a 64-run partnership.
Against the run of play, Zimbabwe broke the partnership by dismissing Vijay, when Sikandar Raza’s direct hit found the Indian opener well short of his ground.
Zimbabwe, however, pulled back things with some tight overs in the middle and taking wickets as the pressure started to get the better of Indian batsmen on a slow pitch.
India, meanwhile, struggled to make any solid partnership in the middle as the batsmen failed to get value for short owing to slowish nature of the pitch.
The visitors were immensely helped by the extras as Zimbabwe gave away 25 extras, including 8 byes, 13 wides, eight byes and one no-ball.
