India took a crucial 2-1 lead in the five-match T20I series with a solid 23-run win over Zimbabwe in the third T20I clash held in Harare. In a match characterized by significant contributions from both bat and ball, Washington Sundar emerged as the Player of the Match, thanks to his exceptional bowling figures of 3 for 15, which proved instrumental in India’s defense of their target score of 182 runs.
The stark difference between the two teams came down to fielding. Zimbabwe’s captain Sikandar Raza admitted after the loss that his side conceded “20 extra runs” due to poor fielding, which could have made the contest far tighter. The hosts dropped at least three chances, giving Shubman Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad, and Yashasvi Jaiswal, all crucial reprieves that they capitalized on. In sharp contrast, India demonstrated superior fielding, taking their catches and excelling in the outfield.
The game got off to a fiery start for India during the PowerPlay. Zimbabwe’s decision to start with an offspinner against Yashasvi Jaiswal, who had just re-joined the squad after a brief trip back home, backfired almost immediately. Jaiswal hammered the opening over for 15 runs. Shubman Gill, partnering with Jaiswal at the top, followed suit and took 14 runs off the next over bowled by Richard Ngarava. Tendai Chatara’s introduction to the attack didn’t fare much better, as Jaiswal smashed him for a boundary and a six, taking India to a soaring 41/0 after just three overs. From there, albeit slightly slowed by Blessing Muzarabani’s tight bowling, India still managed to put up 55/0 in the PowerPlay, thanks in part to some sloppy fielding by Zimbabwe, which allowed the visitors to sneak in extra runs.
The middle overs saw Zimbabwe claw their way back into the match, starting with the introduction of captain Sikandar Raza, who broke the 67-run opening stand by dismissing Jaiswal, who had been dropped just three deliveries earlier. Abhishek Sharma, tasked with a new role in the middle overs, struggled to find his rhythm and was caught on the larger legside boundary off Raza’s bowling. At this point, India’s scoring tempo slowed, posting only 48 runs between the 4th and 12th overs. However, this brief ascendancy by Zimbabwe was disrupted by Wessley Madhevere, who conceded 19 runs in the 13th over, with both Gaikwad and Gill sending him over the ropes for maximums.
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India looked to push past the 180-run mark during the death overs despite a shaky start. Richard Ngarava bowled an exceptional 16th over, giving away just 3 runs, but India retaliated by targeting Raza in his final over for 18 runs. Gill reached his half-century off 36 balls before getting out while trying to accelerate, offering a catch to mid-off where Raza took a catch alleviating some pressure from his struggling fielders. Gaikwad, falling just short of his fifty with a 29-ball 49, nonetheless played a crucial role, guiding India to a solid total of 182/4—a total Yashasvi Jaiswal believed was strong given the pitch’s two-paced nature.
Zimbabwe’s response started with a mixture of aggression and early setbacks in their PowerPlay. Tadiwanashe Marumani began with boundaries against Khaleel Ahmed, but Avesh Khan quickly countered by dismissing Wessly Madhevere with his first delivery. The dismissals of Marumani and Brian Bennett, in quick succession, further hampered Zimbabwe’s efforts. Despite Sikandar Raza’s attempt to stabilize the innings, hitting consecutive boundaries and reaching the milestone of 5000 T20 runs, the damage had been felt early on, reducing Zimbabwe to 37/3 after six overs.
The middle overs brought a temporary resurgence for Zimbabwe. Washington Sundar claimed the wickets of Raza and Johnathan Campbell immediately after the PowerPlay. Yet, at 49/5, Zimbabwe found solace in a 77-run partnership between Dion Myers (65* off 49) and Clive Madande (37 off 26), who targeted India’s fifth-bowler combination of Abhishek Sharma and Shivam Dube, taking them for 50 runs in their combined four overs. Madande’s back-to-back sixes off Dube in the 15th over brought the hosts into contention, with 73 runs needed from the last five overs.
The final overs saw India regain control as their frontline bowlers returned. Khaleel Ahmed conceding just 2 runs in the 16th over and Sundar striking again to remove Madande. Despite Ravi Bishnoi conceding 16 runs in the 19th over and Avesh Khan giving away 18 runs in the final over, the disciplined start to the death overs had effectively sealed the game for India.
The final scores were India 182/4 (Gill 66, Gaikwad 49; Raza 2-24, Muzarabani 2-25) overcoming Zimbabwe 159/6 (Myers 65*; Sundar 3-15, Avesh 2-39) by 23 runs, positioning India as the front-runners in the series.