IND Vs ZIM, 2nd T20I: India Thrash Zimbabwe By 100 Runs In Harare, Level Series 1-1 - As It Happened

Here are the highlights of the second T20I match of the bilateral series between India and hosts Zimbabwe played at the Harare Sports Club on Sunday. Indian team registered a 100-run win over the hosts to level up the five-match series 1-1. Batting first, Men In Blue post 234 runs on the board thanks to Abhishek Sharma's first T20I hundred. Ruturaj Gaikwad played an unbeaten 77-run knock with Rinku Singh (48 not out off 22 balls) to help India set the biggest T20I total against Zimbabwe. The hosts kept losing wickets at regular intervals and were bundled out for 134 runs in 18.4 overs. Catch the highlights of the IND Vs ZIM, 2nd T20I match, here. (Scorecard | Streaming)

India: Shubman Gill (c), Abhishek Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh, Dhruv Jurel(w), Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed, Tushar Deshpande, Sai Sudharsan, Harshit Rana, Jitesh Sharma

Zimbabwe: Wessly Madhevere, Innocent Kaia, Brian Bennett, Sikandar Raza(c), Dion Myers, Johnathan Campbell, Clive Madande(w), Wellington Masakadza, Luke Jongwe, Blessing Muzarabani, Tendai Chatara, Brandon Mavuta, Richard Ngarava, Tadiwanashe Marumani, Faraz Akram, Antum Naqvi

India have won the toss and have opted to bat

Playing XIs:

India: Shubman Gill(c), Abhishek Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sai Sudharsan, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh, Dhruv Jurel(w), Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar

Zimbabwe: Wessly Madhevere, Innocent Kaia, Brian Bennett, Sikandar Raza(c), Dion Myers, Johnathan Campbell, Clive Madande(w), Wellington Masakadza, Luke Jongwe, Blessing Muzarabani, Tendai Chatara

The pitch at the Harare Sports Club looks hard and nice to bat on. Spinners might get some assistance but seamers will be crucial in the powerplay. The new ball may offer some swing for the fast bowlers. Batters need to stay sometime on the pitch. 150 is the average score at this strip.

The opening pair of Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma started the batting for India with Brian Bennett opening the bowling attack. Gill took the strike and started with a single. Sharma smashed a six on the first delivery he faced. 10 runs came from the first over.

IND - 10/0 (1)

Zimbabwe's most experienced seamer Blessing Muzarabani came to bowl the second over and he struck on the second delivery of the over. He dismissed the Indian captain. Ruturaj Gaikwad was dropped on the first ball he faced. A maiden wicket over from Muzarabani.

IND - 10/1 (2)

Abhishek Sharma smashed back-to-back boundaries off Brian Bennett when he came to bowl his second over. In the next over, Tendai Chatara bowled beautifully and kept Indian batters at bay but Gaikwad managed to find a gap on the last delivery to extract six runs from the over.

IND - 28/1 (4)

Blessing Muzarabani conceded just one single in his two overs in the powerplay. Chatara conceded six singles in his second over with a wide. India made 36 runs in the powerplay with the lose of a wicket.

IND - 36/1 (6)

Sikandar Raza came to bowl the 7th over and gave just four runs from the over. Luke Jongwe was introduced in the next over and he conceded five singles and a boundary in his over. Abhishek Sharma was also dropped on the fifth delivery.

IND - 49/1 (8)

Abhishek Sharma targeted Sikandar Raza and smashed him for a couple of boundaries to start his second over. 14 runs came from his over. Then Gaikwad targeted Jongwe and started his over with two boundaries. Bot batters are shifting gears now.

IND - 74/1 (10)

Dion Myers was introduced into the bowling attack in the 11th over and Abhishek Sharma smashed him for 28 runs. He also completed his maiden international half-century in the over. India also completed the 100-run mark.

IND - 102/1 (11)

Sikandar Raza came to bowl the 13th over and Sharma welcomed him with a six then a four. He was given caught behind by the Umpire on the last delivery of the over but it was hitting the pads and Sharma survived. He is nearing his maiden T20I hundred.

IND - 126/1 (13)

Wellington Masakadza came to bowl his second over and Abhishek Sharma smashed him for a hat-trick of sixes to complete his maiden international century. He was dismissed on the next delivery while trying to repeat the same. He made 100 runs off 47 balls.

IND - 147/2 (14)

2 - Abhishek Sharma
3 - Deepak Hooda
4 - KL Rahul

Blessing Muzarabani came to bowl his third over and conceded 13 runs from that over. Rinku Singh smashed a six then Gaikwad hit a four to finish the over.

IND - 165/2 (16)

Rinku Singh and Ruturaj Gaikwad completed fifty runs for the fourth wicket as the duo managed to extract 20 runs from Tendai Chatara's last over. Before that, Luke Jongwe conceded 12 runs in the 17th over. India eyeing for a big total from here.

IND - 197/2 (18)

Rinku Singh took charge in the last two overs and smashed a couple of sixes off Blessing Muzarabani in the 19th over to extract 16 runs from that over. In the last over, Gaikwad started with a four, then Rinku hit another four and finished the over with a couple of sixes.

IND - 234/2 (20)

Batting first, India have managed to post 234 runs on the board. Now, the Sikandar Raza-led Zimbabwe team need 235 runs to win the match in 20 overs.

Brief Score: IND - 234/2 (20)

Abhishek Sharma - 100 (47), Ruturaj Gaikwad - 77 (47) | Blessing Muzarabani - (4-1-30-1)

234/2 is the highest T20I team total against Zimbabwe. Earlier, it was Australia's 229/2 in 2018.

Mukesh Kumar opened the bowling attack for India and Innocent Kaia was accompanied by Wessly Madhevere to open the batting for Zimbabwe. Kaia started with a boundary but was knocked over by Kumar on the third delivery. Brian Bennett is the new batter at the crease.

ZIM - 5/1 (1)

Brian Bennett made 26 runs off just nine balls in his short but important inning. He targeted Mukesh Kumar and smashed back-to-back sixes but Kumar bowled him on the last delivery of the over to get his second wicket in the match.

ZIM - 40/2 (3)

Pacer Avesh Khan came to bowl the fourth over and he dismissed Dion Myers on the second delivery of the over. He went on to get rid of the Zimbabwean captain Sikandar Raza on the last delivery of the over. The hosts are four wickets down.

ZIM - 52/4 (5)

Ravi Bishnoi was introduced into the attack in the 7th over and he conceded just one run from his first over. Zimbabwe need to accelerate their batting if they want to end up near the target.

ZIM - 59/4 (7)

Washington Sundar and Ravi Bishnoi kept the bowling tight and accurate. Sundar dismissed Jonathan Campbell on the fourth delivery of his second over. Zimbabwe are five wickets down.

ZIM - 72/5 (10)

Washington Sundar came to bowl his third over and struck on the first delivery. Wellington Masakadza got run out on the first delivery of the over. Luke Jongwe is the new batter at the crease.

ZIM - 83/7 (12)

Abhishek Sharma came to bowl his third over and conceded nine runs from that. He has not been lucky with the ball in hand.

ZIM - 105/7 (15)

Ravi Bishnoi came to bowl his last over and conceded just four runs but also claimed the wicket of the set batter Wessly Madhevere. He ended with the brilliant bowling figures of 4-0-11-2.

ZIM - 119/8 (17)

Mukesh Kumar dismissed Luke Jongwe on the fourth delivery of the 19th over to win the match for India. Men In Blue registered a 100-run margin victory to level the series 1-1.

ZIM - 134/10 (18.4)

100 vs AUS, Harare, 2018
100 vs IND, Harare, 2024*
85 vs PAK, Harare, 2011
82 vs SL, Hambantota, 2012

The world champions will eventually play like world champions. Dropping catches today certainly hurt us today. I expected 200 on this wicket today but they got 30 runs more. Coming into this game, I thought it would be a close game but it wasn't to be, the top-order didn't play well. He has grown by leaps and bounds, he is very hungry and his graph will keep going up. It's a task we have been talking about since a long time, today we came out positive and played our shots.

I think it was pretty much good performance by me, the defeat we had yesterday we didn't have it easy for us. I felt today it was my day and I made it count. I feel T20 is about momentum and I took it to the end. Special mention to the coach and team management, I always feel that as a youngster if it's your day, if you have to express yourself. We were talking after every ball and he said to me that you should take it on. I always believe in my ability, if there's in my arc and even if it's the first ball, I will go after it.

Very happy, great to be back on the winning note back again. With the way Abhishek and Rutu batted, it was not easy especially in the powerplay, with the ball moving around but Abhi and Rutu built the innings brilliantly. Yesterday, it was more about not being able to handle the pressure, it's a young side and many of them are new to international exposure. It was actually good to have pressure in the first game and we knew what to expect coming into this game. We have got three matches to go and we are looking forward to them. It's always good to have more options rather than not having options.

India and Zimbabwe will lock horns again in the third T20I of the series on Wednesday. For now, we will be taking your leave. It's goodbye from our side. Goodnight and take care!