India Clinches Series 3-1 with Dominant Victory Over Zimbabwe
India concluded the series against Zimbabwe with a ten-wicket win in the fourth men’s T20I, demonstrating a commanding performance.
Zimbabwe was held to 152 for 7 by the bowlers, which made it easier for Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill to chase down the goal. In just 15.2 overs, they reached 156 for 0.
Zimbabwe 152 for 7 (Raza 46, Marumani 32, Khaleel 2-32, Dube 1-11) lost to India 156 for 0 (Jaiswal 93*, Gill 58*) by 10 wickets.
Even with their most confident batting performance, Zimbabwe was unable to compete with India’s youthful IPL stars. Shubman Gill and Yashasvi Jaiswal amassed a 153-run target with ease, taking just 15.2 overs to reach home in a breathtaking display of intent-driven batting that hasn’t been seen this series thus far.
With one more game to play on Sunday, India holds a commanding 3-1 lead after Jaiswal and Gill hammered as many fours in their opening four overs, while Zimbabwe managed just 10 fours in their 20 overs.
Prior to this match, Zimbabwe had lost at least two wickets in the powerplay in all three of the Twenty20 Internationals in the series. But today, Wessly Madhevere and Tadiwanashe Marumani used good fortune to add 63 runs in 8.4 overs, providing them with a foundation.
When Marumani was on three in the third over, Shivam Dube dropped him at mid-on. In the same over, Marumani also gained from an overthrow that was successful in reaching the boundary. Seemingly, he changed his strategy after the reprieve, going for Tushar Deshpande, a rookie who had given up 21 runs in his opening two overs.
Gill promptly switched to spin during the powerplay, and they were able to limit the runs; however, Marumani was eventually caught trying to raise the stakes against India’s part-time bowlers, who were required to fulfill the fifth-bowler’s quota.
He attempted to draw off the fourth delivery from Abhishek Sharma, but instead struck it in the direction of the longest section of the boundary, where Rinku Singh was waiting at deep midwicket. This gave Gill the opportunity to insert Dube at the other end in an attempt to eliminate the fifth bowler’s quota, but he too proved effective; in his opening over, he had Madhevere, the other set hitter, pull a short ball to Rinku at deep square leg.
In T20Is, Abhishek might have taken a second wicket, but Brian Bennett was saved by Ruturaj Gaikwad’s dolly at extra cover. However, India did not suffer much for the lost opportunity.
After a strong opening, Zimbabwe had unexpectedly lost 4 for 33, and Raza had to save the day. Raza was guilty of running out Jonathan Campbell, but his diligence ensured that the runs continued until the final five overs, when he flipped the switch.
At that moment, on 21 off 17, he struck Washington Sundar for a 90-meter six over deep midwicket. In his subsequent over, he targeted Khaleel Ahmed, hitting him for a four and a six. In overs 16 and 17, Zimbabwe scored 31 as they surged near 160. Deshpande and Khaleel’s two outstanding overs, in which Raza was removed for his first international wicket, were the main reasons why they failed by eight wickets. Zimbabwe’s total was respectable, if not spectacular.
Also Read: India Takes 2-1 Series Lead with Victory over Zimbabwe as Fielding Errors Prove Costly
In the opening over, Jaiswal struck three fours off left-arm seamer Richard Ngavara, initiating India’s chase. Jaiswal was not about to quit there, as he blasted his first over, the third of the innings, to Tendai Chatara for four more fours. He continued to crash them away through point, alternating between playing the full-blooded cuts and slamming them along the ground as the seamers continued to give him breadth. In just 3.5 overs, India reached their fifty, with Jaiswal scoring 39.
After reaching his half-century in 29 balls, Jaiswal produced one of the day’s best shots by sending Raza inside-out over extra cover. Beaten in the air, he made a snappy adjustment to loft him through the line and split the minuscule opening between wide long-off and deep cover.
Then Gill took over, showing masterful hitting-on-the-up to help himself against Faraz Akram’s delicate seam-ups. Compared to Jaiswal, Gill’s second consecutive half-century, which came off 35 balls, was quieter but no less impactful.
The sole intriguing aspect of the match as it neared its conclusion was whether Jaiswal would be able to score the final 17 runs required to reach 100. He failed to do so; despite showing his entire range in a thrilling display that mirrored the kind of intent that won India the T20 World Cup last month after a 17-year absence, he finished at 93 not out.
