Khaleel Ahmed Shines as India Restricts Zimbabwe to 152/7 in Fourth T20I
In an impressive display of collective bowling, India restricted Zimbabwe to 152/7 in the fourth T20I at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday. Left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed led the charge with figures of 2-32, supported by Tushar Deshpande, Washington Sundar, Abhishek Sharma, and Shivam Dube, each taking a wicket.
Zimbabwe’s Innings:
- Solid Start: Zimbabwe began their innings on a positive note with a 63-run opening stand between Tadiwanashe Marumani and Wesley Madhevere. The duo hit seven boundaries in the Power-play, with Marumani benefiting from a dropped catch by Dube in the third over.
- Quick Succession of Wickets: India got their first breakthrough in the ninth over when Marumani mistimed a pull shot, giving Abhishek Sharma his first T20I wicket. Madhevere fell in the next over, top-edging a pull shot to deep square leg off Dube’s bowling.
- Captain’s Knock: Captain Sikandar Raza provided much-needed momentum for Zimbabwe, scoring a quick-fire 46 off 28 balls, including two fours and three sixes. His aggressive batting, at a strike rate of 164.29, helped Zimbabwe surpass the 150-mark. Raza’s dismissal at the fag end of the innings cost Zimbabwe an additional 10-15 runs.
Key Moments:
- Marumani’s Dismissal: Marumani, who was lucky to survive an early drop, eventually mistimed a pull shot to mid-wicket in the ninth over, ending his partnership with Madhevere.
- Madhevere’s Departure: Following Marumani’s dismissal, Madhevere top-edged a pull shot to deep square leg, giving Dube a crucial wicket.
- Raza’s Fireworks: Raza became the first Zimbabwean to score 2000 T20I runs, hitting a boundary each off Dube and Abhishek, and smashing Washington Sundar for a six. He continued his aggressive play against Khaleel, hitting a four and a six in an 18-run over.
- Wickets Falling: Brian Bennett was dismissed after cutting uppishly to cover off Washington, and Johnathan Campbell was run out by a direct hit from Ravi Bishnoi. Raza’s attempt for another big shot resulted in a catch at cover, giving debutant Deshpande his first international wicket. Khaleel struck twice in the final over, dismissing Dion Myers and Clive Madande.
Brief Scores:
- Zimbabwe: 152/7 in 20 overs (Sikandar Raza 46, Tadiwanashe Marumani; Khaleel Ahmed 2-32, Shivam Dube 1-11) against India
Khaleel Ahmed’s effective bowling and the Indian bowlers’ collective effort ensured that Zimbabwe was kept to a manageable total, setting the stage for an exciting chase by the Indian batsmen. Stay tuned for more updates and match analysis!
