Fielding makes the difference as India go 2-1 up against Zimbabwe
Madande and Myers script a fightback for Zimbabwe, but a top-order collapse had left them with too much to do
Madande and Myers script a fightback for Zimbabwe, but a top-order collapse had left them with too much to do
Scorer: @Thilak_Rama | Commentator: Ashish Pant
Another clinical victory for India despite that late fight back from Zimbabwe. Sudarshanan's report should be up soon, but that is all from us tonight. The fourth T20I is on Saturday so a couple of days off for the players. Do join us for the game then, but till then this is me Ashish Pant signing off on behalf of Sudarshanan and Thilak. Ciao!
Shubman Gill: Was a crucial match for us and the way we started with batting and bowling, it was remarkable. [On not reaching 200, was it a let down?] Did look like that, but the wicket was a bit double paced, the odd ball was gripping and it was not easy to hit the length ball. We just wanted to keep hitting the length with the ball as well. We know if there is something in the wicket, it will be there for the bowlers. Everyone has contributed, right from openers, to bowlers.
Sikandar Raza: [What went wrong] Think it is the fielding again. We are very proud of it but the wheels are coming off again. We gave away 20 runs extra. We still have problems at the top, but we are backing the boys. I know they are trying and once they do, we will come good again. We have tried 15 different [opening] partners in a year and a half. There is a lot of cricket going in the country. We are trying to do everything. It is time we players including me take the responsibility. I can accept some mistakes from the young side but the seniors need to step up. But we need to back them. Bennett is doing well at no. 3. This is the best we have and this is the best that we can do. We have to stop talking about him [Muzarabani] because he has been fantastic. The game always rewards you, always does.
Washington Sundar is the player of the match: Feels amazing, honestly. Every time I play for the country, it seems amazing. It was a better wicket. There was something more for the bowlers in the first two games. The way Zimbabwe batters played, did put pressure on us. They [Myers and Madande] did put a lot of pressure on us. We wanted to execute everything in our plans. Hopefully, we can explore Zimbabwe. We want to finish the series on Saturday.
Do hang around for the presentation.
Sowmya : "Misfields have cost Zimbabwe this match. What a fight from Myers !!!"
Amey: "Khaleel and Sundar's spells were the difference at the end"
Avesh Khan: Very happy, have been wanting to improve every match. Just want to perform well for my team in very game. I don't have any preference while bowling. But I just want to bowl with a mindset of taking wickets. Shubman is a bowler's captain. He listens to the bowlers and sticks to the plan. [Bishnoi catch] It was a great catch. He is a terrific fielder, you have seen in the IPL and international cricket. He works a lot on his fielding.
4.09pm A few wickets in hand, intent in the first half and this result could well have been different. But the end result is that India have taken a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. Chasing 183, Zimbabwe scored 60 for 5 in the first ten overs, and 99 for 1 in the last ten. That they came back into the game was down to 77-run sixth-wicket stand between Dion Myers and Clive Madande. Myers scored his maiden T20I fifty finishing unbeaten on 65 off 49 balls. Zimbabwe will also be ruing the number of misfields and dropped catches in the first innings that helped India get away to 182 in the first place. For India, Washington Sundar was the pick of the bowlers with 3 for 15 while Avesh also took two wickets.
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