2nd T20 - India vs Zimbabwe- As it happened...

In the last match of the series, Zimbabwe beat India by ten runs to level the two-match T20 series. First, Chibhabha played a super knock of 67 runs to help his side put up a fighting total of 145. And then Zimbabwean bowlers did a wonderful job to defend the total. Leggie Cremer played a crucial role to turn the match in the favour of the home team. And eventually, the hosts managed to beat India in the last match of the series.   

19 July 2015

19:47 PM

Over 20 || Score 135/9

Zimbabwe level the two-match T-20 series by beating India by ten runs.

First ball, came three runs as Bhuvneshwar played the ball towards deep square leg. Next ball, came a single in the form of a bye. Third ball, Bhuvi got run Out! Off the next came a double from the willow of Sandeep. Single off the next. Off the last ball came another single as India only managed to score eight runs out the 19 required in the last over.

B Kumar run out 9 (6b)  

Chris Mpofu to bowl the last over. 

19:43 PM

Over 19 || Score 127/8

Muzarabani to bowl the penultimate over of the match. Patel Out. A full toss but Patel found a fielder at deep mid-wicket, who took a well judged catch. Mohit Sharma joined Bhuvi in the middle. India need 19 runs from 6 balls.

AR Patel c Williams b Muzarabani 13 (15b)

19:35 PM

Over 18 || Score 121/7

Samson Out! Now that's a big blow for India. Samson tried to clear the long on boundary, but found a fielder in Waller at deep, who took a regulation catch. Now the onus rests on Axar. Bhuvneshwar Kumar is the new man in. India need 25 runs off 12 balls.    

SV Samson c Waller b Mpofu 19 (24b) 

19:29 PM

Over 17 || Score 114/6

Now the onus is on two young Turks -- Smason, who is making his international debut and Axar Patel to take India home. And  mind it, both have the potential to do it. Now the equation has gone down to 32 runs off 18 balls.   

19:20 PM

Over 16 || Score 109/6

Cremer gave a other blow to India as he picked up his wicket, that too of set batsman, Stuart Binny. In trying to hit the leggie over extra covers, Binny danced down the wicket but couldn't connect the ball well and Chibhabha took a superb catch at deep. Axar Patel walked in after the fall of India's sixth wicket.    

STR Binny c Chibhabha b Cremer 24 (23b)

19:13 PM

Over 14 || Score 101/5

Binny and Samson are trying to rebuild Indian innings after they lost first five wickets cheaply. They have already added 32 runs for the sixth wicket. From here the visitors need 45 more runs from 36 balls to win the match and series. In the meantime, Men in Blue crossed the 100-run mark as well. 

19:04 PM

Over 12 || Score 89/5

Stuart Binny is trying to with positive intent. On the other end, Samson seems to be playing as second fiddle by taking singles to give more strike to Binny. Good chance for there two to prove their credentials by winning the match for India.   

19:00 PM

Over 10 || Score 71/5

Another run-out. Poor display of running between the wickets by India. Half of the Indian team is back in the hut and they still need 75 runs from 60 balls. Debutant Sanju Samson has come to the middle.  

KM Jadhav run out 5 (6b)

18:55 PM

Over 8 || Score 63/4 

Left arm spinner took a sharp return catch to pick up his first wicket of the match in the form of Uthappa, who was looking really good in the middle. Zimbabwe have ripped through India's top order to make a comeback. Stuart Binny and Kedar Jadhav, two new man are at the crease for the visitors now.      

RV Uthappa c & b Williams 42 (25b)

18:46 PM

Over 7 || Score 58/3 

Double blow for India as Cremer first sent Vijay back to the pavilion and then trapped new man, Manish Padey, in front of the wicket for a naught. Though it was a tight call by the umpire, the leggie gave hosts two crucial breakthroughs. Zimabawe are back in the game. Kedar Jadhav joined Uthappa at the crease.  

MK Pandey lbw b Cremer 0 (3b)

M Vijay b Cremer 13 (11b)

18:40 PM

Over 6 || Score 57/1 

Uthappa simply toyed with the bowlers as they haven't learnt from their past mistakes and offered too many short pitch balls. In the meantime, Uthappa and Vijay have added 50-runs partnership for the 2nd wicket. 22 runs have come in the last two overs. India are heading towards a clean sweep here.    

18:28 PM

Over 4 || Score 35/1 

First bowling change in the 5th over as the hosts introduced Mpofu. But it seems that Uthappa is in a mood to finish the match as soon as possible. The stylish right-hander is slapping and slashing the bowlers all around the ground. In the fifth over he hit Mpofu for three consecutive boundaries to make his intentions clear.    

18:26 PM

Over 2 || Score 13/1 

Muzarabani to bowl the over. Robin Uthappa hit the bowler for two boundaries off the last two ball to get eight runs from the over. The right-hander is middling the ball well. 

18:20 PM

India Innings: 

Over 1 || Score 5/1 

Prosper Utseya to bowl the opening over. Rahane run-out! After placing he ball towards fine leg, the skipper decided to go for a single but Murali sent him back. By then it was too late and wicketkeeper dislodged the bails in no time. Poor start by India while chasing 1456. Robin Uthappa has come to the middle after the fall of first wicket.         

AM Rahane run out 4 (3b)

18:06 PM

Zimbabwe Innings: Even after a super knock by opener Chibhabha, Zimbabwe managed to put up 145 runs on the board. At one stage it seemed that the home team would give India a challenging total but at he death, bowlers pegged back the batsmen to score runs freely. For visitors, Mohit and Bhuvneshwar picked up two wickets each.     

18:00 PM

Over 20 || Score 145/7 

Mohit Sharma to bowl the last over of the innings. Two perfect balls yorkers first up by the speedster. Off the next, Mohit picked up his 2nd wicket. Too many variations on display by the right arm bowler. Eventually, the speedster bowled a superb last over by conceding mere four runs in it. 

P Utseya c Patel b Sharma 1 (2b) 

17:53 PM

Over 19 || Score 141/6 

Bhuvneshwar to bowl the penultimate over. Off the 2nd ball, Chibhabha got out of a perfect slow yorker, which crashed into his stumps. Bhuvi is using his international experience to trouble the batsmen. Off the fourth ball, he bowled the same sort of a delivery to clean bowled Ervin.  

CR Ervine b Kumar 7 (9b) J Chibhabha b Kumar 67 (51b)   

17:49 PM

Over 18 || Score 132/4 

Mohit Sharma leaked runs in the over as Ervin and Chibhabha hit the pacer for one boundary each. Mind it, Ervin too is hitter of the cricket ball. 11 runs came from the over.  

17:43 PM

Over 17 || Score 121/4 

Binny bolwed an in-cutter to pick up his first wicket in the form of Coventry. After pitching, the ball nipped back in sharply and hit the pad of the right-hander. Umpire took no time in raising his finger. Ervin came in the middle to join Chibhabha, who is looking dangerous.   

CK Coventry lbw b Binny 4 (10b)

17:37 PM

Over 15 || Score 112/3 

Chibhabha competed his fifty in the 15th over with the help of a single off Sandeep. It's an outstanding fifty by the right hander, who slammed seven boundaries to reach the mark. Sandeep and Axar are done with their quote of four overs.   

17:32 PM

Over 14 || Score 104/3 

Chibhabha has started scoring boundaries at will. In the meantime, Zimbabwe have crossed the 100-run mark. The hosts are certainly heading towards a big total as they have wickets in hand, along with a set batsman at crease.     

17:29 PM

Over 12 || Score 89/3 

Finally Axar gave India their third wicket in the form of Williams. Smart cricket by the slow left-arm bowler. Coventry joined Chibhabha in the middle after the fall off Williams' wicket.    

SC Williams c & b Patel 17 (18b)

17:26 PM

Over 10 || Score 76/2

Chibhabha and Williams are playing sensibly in the middle. Spinners have put some break in the scoring. Axar and Vijay are bowing in tandem for India. But India need wickets here.   

17:24 PM

Over 8 || Score 63/2 

Chibhabha is hitting the Indian bowlers quite comfortably as he has quickly reached to 23 off 17 balls with the help of three boundaries. 14 runs have come in the last two overs.  

16:59 PM

Over 6 || Score 49/2 

Skipper Raza out cheaply. Mohit Sharma, who replaced Bhuvneshwar, picked up a wicket off his 4th ball as Sandeep took a comfortable catch at third man.      

Sikandar Raza c Samson b Sharma 8 (7b)

16:54 PM

Over 5 || Score 45/1 

Stuart Binny has been introduced into the attack. And the dibbly-dobbly bowler went for runs in his opening over. Both the batsmen -- Sikandar Raza and Chamu Chibhabha -- hit a boundary each to collect ten from the over. 

16:45 PM

Over 4 || Score 35/1 

First Breakthrough! Masakadza Out! After hitting Sandeep for a six over cow corner off a free hit, the right-hander was in double mind off the next ball, which was pitched at a perfect line and length and got caught behind. Sikandar Raza came in to bat.     

H Masakadza c Uthappa b Sandeep Sharma 19 (17b)

16:42 PM

Over 3 || Score 21/0 

Even after conceding a boundary off the first ball from Masakadza's willow, Bhuvneshwar Kumar managed to bowl a decent over as he gave mere a single off the next five. 

16:40 PM

Over 2 || Score 16/0 

Sandeep Sharma to bowl the over. From the first five balls came four runs. Next ball was a big wide outside off. In the last ball, Chibhabha clipped the ball towards long on to collect his first boundary. 

16:33 PM

Over 1 || Score 7/0 

Masakadza played all the balls in the opening over by Bhuvneshwar Kumar. The right hander managed to earn seven runs in it. Ball is not moving much.  

16:29 PM

Hamilton Masakadza and Chamu Chibhabha are out in the middle to open the Zimbabwe innings, whereas, Bhuvneshwar Kumar has the new ball in hand. 

16:26 PM

Sanju Samson is set to make his international debut as Harbhajan Singh has been rested. That's the only change in the Indian team. However, Raza will lead the home team as Elton Chigumbura is out due to an injury. 

15:39 PM

Toss: Zimbabwe have won the toss and will bat

Umpires: Russell Tiffin(Zim), Langton Rusere(Zim)
Third Umpire: Jeremiah Matibiri(Zim)
Match Referee: Roshan Mahanama(SL)

Zimbabwe: Hamilton Masakadza, Chamu Chibhabha, Charles Coventry, Elton Chigumbura, Sikandar Raza, Craig Ervine, Graeme Cremer, Prosper Utseya, Neville Madziva, Chris Mpofu, Taurai Muzarabani, Regis Chakabva, Richmond Mutumbami, Tinashe Panyangara, Vusi Sibanda, Donald Tiripano, Brian Vitori, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams

India: Ajinkya Rahane, Murali Vijay, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, Stuart Binny, Harbhajan Singh, Axar Patel, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Sandeep Sharma, Dhawal Kulkarni, Sanju Samson, Manoj Tiwary, Ambati Rayudu