Key Highlights

• India won the toss and asked Zimbabwe to bowl first
• KL Rahul scored 51 (35) runs while Kohli bagged 26 (25) runs
• After Drinks India lost Kohli, Rahul, and Pant within 5 overs.
• SKY completed his 1000+ T20I runs in just 28 innings
• SKY scored 61 runs in 25 balls
• SKY and Pandya built 65-runs partnership off 35 balls.

It’s Melbourne Cricket Ground that is witnessing India vs Zimbabwe T20 match today. India won the toss and chose to bat first. India simply wanted to bat first so that their bowlers can have a chance to defend. The only player who hasn’t played a single game on this tour, including the warm-up games, is Rishabh Pant. Therefore, India decided to give him a game instead of DK.

Rahul and Rohit opened the inning for India but they couldn’t even take a single in the first over of Ngarava. However, Rohit tried to accelerate the run rate and hit a four to Chatara in the next over. India scored just 6 runs in the first 2 overs. From the third over, Rahul and Rohit took charge to hit big shots but at 3.4 overs, Rohit gave away his wicket to Muzarabani in an attempt to hit a pull shot. Rohit’s gone for 15 (13) [4s-2]. Post this fall of wicket, Kohli came to bat and hit a boundary on the very first ball he faced. India scored 46 runs in the powerplay, losing just 1 wicket.

In the post powerplay overs, Indian batters accelerated the run scoring pace with boundaries and sixes. In the 8^th over, Rahul smashed a six and a four on two consecutive deliveries of Ryan Burl. After 10 overs, India’s scored board displayed 79-1.

Zimbabwe was looking for a breakthrough in order to put a leash on India’s run rate, and Ryan Burl did it for his team. He dismissed Kohli 26 (25) who got a top-edge while shaping for a cut. India was 87/2 at 11.5 overs. In the next over of Sikander Raza, Rahul hit a six but got caught on the next delivery while doing the same. Rahul was gone for 51 (35). India lost Kohli and Rahul in the space of just 4 deliveries. India completed 100 runs in 13.2 overs, but soon lost Rishabh Pant 3(5) to Williams. Pant attempted a lofty shot in order to cross the boundary but Burl took a superb diving catch to dismiss Pant.

After drinks, Zimbabwe got successful in putting a lid on the scoring rate of India. After 15 overs, India was 107-4.

In the last five overs, India was looking to put a 150+ target for Zimbabwe and Suryakumar and Pandya leaded the attack with two consecutive boundaries, individually, to Muzarabani in the 16^th over. Pandya and SKY scored 18 runs of that over. India’s scoreboard read 125-4 after 16 overs.

SKY and Pandya targeted the Zimbabwean pacers and helped India to cross 150+ mark in 18 overs.

In the 19^th over, Pandya hit a boundary which is followed by SKY’s boundary, making the score of India reach 165-4.

In the last over of the India’s inning, Ngarava dismissed Pandya 18 (18). SKY hit an unbelievable six to backward square leg. Surya completed his half-century with a double on the fourth ball of the last over. He then hit a boundary on the next ball.

After 20 overs, India completed the inning with scoreboard displaying 186-5.

Stay tuned with CBTF Speed News for Ind vs Zim T20 Match updates.