For the first time in the tour Zimbabwe took the fight to the Indians – that too in T20 format – and finally managed to register a win on the tour, beating India by 10 runs in the second and the final T20 international to level the series 1-1 at the Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
After opener Chamu Chibhabha (67) had helped Zimbabwe to a score of 146, India were off to a flier courtesy Robin Uthappa’s aggressive approach and it looked like India would seal the game in a jiffy. But, legspinner Graeme Cremer’s introduction in to the attack changed the complexion of the game as India lost four wickets for just 12 runs – two of them taken by Cremer – and the visitors never really recovered from the extraordinary collapse as the Zimbabweans, with springs in their steps, bowled well in the death overs to overcome little cameos from Stuart Binny (24) and Axar Patel (13).
After the early loss of captain Ajinkya Rahane in the first over owing to a mix-up in the middle with fellow opener Murali Vijay, Uthappa blitzed his way to 42 off just 25 balls to hand India momentum. The Karnataka opener racked up nine boundaries in the first six overs to take India to 57 for one at the end of the powerplay overs. However, Cremer, brought in to the attack, made immediate impact removing Vijay off his first delivery which was a flatter one aimed at the stumps. Two balls later, Manish Pandey succumbed to a googly, given out leg before wicket. In the next over, Sean Williams got the big wicket of the well-set Uthappa as the batsman pooped a return catch, and the run-out of Kedar Jadhav – a direct hit from Taurai Muzarabani from midwicket – had India in all sorts of trouble.
Allrounder Binny was joined by debutant Sanju Samson in the middle and the duo steadied the ship with a 36-run stand for the sixth wicket. Binny managed to keep the scorecard ticking as Samson looked scratchy in the middle. Just when it looked India might turn the game around, Cremer put Zimbabwe ahead once again when he claimed his third wicket in the form Binny in the final over of his spell. Binny charged down to the legspinner hoisting the ball towards long-off where Chibhabha completed a fantastic catch. Samson, in a bid to get quick runs, holed out at long-on. With 25 required off 12 balls, Axar Patel kept India alive bur Muzarabani and Christopher Mpofu bowled well in the last two overs to ensure Zimbabwe sealed the game by 10 runs.
Earlier, opener Chibhabha had continued his rich vein of form with the bat by slamming his third fifty of the tour and helped Zimbabwe post 145 for seven on a sluggish Harare Sports Club track, after stand-in captain Sikander Raza had opted to bat.
With the final chance to register a victory against India, Zimbabwe had everything to play for and the onus once again fell on the shoulders of the 27-year-old Chibhabha. The flamboyant right-hander scored 67 runs in 51 balls to hold the Zimbabwean innings together despite wickets falling at regular intervals at the other end.
For India, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was the most effective bowler taking two wicket and giving away just 26 runs in his four overs. Zimbabwe had started well against the Indian pacers with Hamilton Mazakadza donning the aggressor role but was sent packing by Sandeep Sharma immediately after hitting a six in the fourth over. Mazakadza dabbed a back of length delivery to wicketkeeper Uthappa on 19 and handed Sandeep his maiden international wicket.
However, introduction of spinners made things tough for Zimbabwe and Raza (8) threw his wicket away slicing a wide delivery to debutant Samson at third man off Mohit Sharma. Sean Williams, playing in place of an injured Elton Chigumbura, too failed to support Chibhabha who looked in top nick in the middle. Axar got rid of Williams – for the third time on tour – for 17 in the 12th over.
Chibhabha then cut loose and scored couple of boundaries off Mohit and reached his fourth T20I fifty by taking a single towards long-on in the 15th over. Charles Coventry (4) departed soon after for just four runs to Binny. Craig Ervine and Chibhabha then got some quick runs, but Bhuvneshwar yorked Chibhabha in the 19th over to end the 19-run fifth wicket stand.
