It was bound to happen, it was simply a question of when. Following their shock defeat in the first T20 international against the minnows, India produced a solid performance where they showed the world why they are the champions of World T20. Though the 11 players who managed it, not one of them featured in the World T20 2024 team.
India, having won the toss decided to bat again as captain Shubman Gill decided his men had it in them to put on a match-winning performance. And boy did they do. A stellar batting performance where the Indians pilled on the runs followed by great bowling that restricted the opposition to a low score giving India a 100-run win.
Blazing Hundred by Abhishek Sharma Sets up India’s Total
Following his four-ball duck in the first game a lot was riding on his second major outing for the player from Amritsar. With the reputation that he had built up in the IPL, with an unbelievable 2024 season with the Sunrisers Hyderabad, and putting on blazing starts with fellow opener Travis Head, the expectations were high. And this time Sharma did not disappoint. In blistering innings encompassing eight sixes, Sharma scored his 100 in 47 balls.
Despite the failure of captain Shubman Gill, who was dismissed for a duck, Sharma and CSK captain Ruturaj Gaikwad put together a 137-run partnership. This effectively batted the opposition out of the game, as the player to follow Rinku Singh helped take India to an imposing 247. The highest score that Zimbabwe has made in T20 internationals is 236 vs Singapore. So this was a daunting task they did not manage to surpass.
The Bowlers Restrict Zimbabwe
Chasing a huge total was never going to be easy for the African side. Having lost opener Innocent Kaia early for four, Brian Bennett and Wesley Madhevere got together and took the team total to 40 at the end of the third over. However, this was the only point in the chase that Zimbabwe looked threatening, following the dismissal of Brian Bennett the wheels started coming off for Zimbabwe.
Great bowling by Mukesh Kumar who took 3 for 37, and Avesh Khan who took 3 for 15 in three overs made short work of the Zimbabwe batting. The only real threat for India in the Zimbabwe batting was captain Sikandar Raza. His failure for only four sealed the deal for the Indians.
Onward and Upward for India?
This was always going to be a testing ground for young and up-and-coming players for the Indian team. It was less about India proving a point about how good it is in international cricket that goals have already been achieved and more about giving the backup players an outing. In this regard, India is now on the right track. Players like Abhishek Sharma, Rinku Singh, and Ravi Bishnoi will keep improving with greater exposure.
And as India’s stalwarts, Kohli, Sharma, and Jadeja hang their boots, there is a good crop of players waiting on their heels to take their place. This is good news for India. The question is will they be able to maintain their momentum as the series continues? It is a good bet that the answer to that question is yes. India has now figured out the opposition and knows their strengths, so expect more wins. The question is how big is a win?
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