3 times Zimbabwe beat India in a T20I ft. July 2024 in Harare
Zimbabwe stunned India by 13 runs at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday, June 6, in the first T20I of the five-match series. The game was India's first international match after they were crowned T20 world champions by winning the 2024 T20 World Cup held in the West Indies and the United States.
Bowling first after winning the toss, Shubman Gill-led Team India did a good job to restrict Zimbabwe to 115-9. The hosts, however, fought back brilliantly to bowl out the Men in Blue for 102 in 19.5 overs. India kept losing wickets at regular intervals in the chase and the young team crumbled under pressure.
Zimbabwe's win over India on Saturday was their third triumph in T20Is against the Men in Blue. The two sides have clashed nine times so far, with Team India having a 6-3 lead in the head-to-head numbers. In the wake of Zimbabwe's triumph in Harare on Saturday, we take a look at all their three T20I wins over India.
#1 July 2015 - Harare
Zimbabwe's first win over India in the T20I format came in Harare in July 2015. They registered a 10-run victory in the second game of the two-match series, which was drawn 1-1.
The hosts won the toss and elected to bat first in the match. They put up 145-7 on the board as opener Chamu Chibhabha starred with a brilliant 67 off 51 balls, a knock studded with nine fours. For India, pacers Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohit Sharma claimed two wickets each.
Zimbabwe then did a great job with the ball to restrict Team India to 135-9. Graeme Cremer starred with 3-18, while Taurai Muzarabani, Chris Mpofu, and Sean Williams picked up one scalp each. For India, Robin Uthappa top-scored with 42 off 25, while Stuart Binny contributed 24 off 23. No other batter, however, touched the 20-run mark.
#2 June 2016 - Harare
Zimbabwe beat India by two runs in Harare in a thrilling T20I in June 2016. This was the first game of the three-match series and the hosts again proved that they are no pushovers, especially in home conditions.
India won the toss and elected to field first in the match. Their bowlers, however, came up with a below-par effort and allowed Zimbabwe to post 170-6 on the board in their 20 overs. Elton Chigumbura was the standout batter for the hosts, slamming an unbeaten 54 off 26 balls. Coming into bat at No. 7, he clobbered one four and as many as seven sixes.
Chibhabha (20 off 19), Hamilton Masakadza (25 off 15), Malcolm Waller (30 off 21), and Sikandar Raza (20 off 18) all chipped in as Zimbabwe put up a competitive total on the board even as Jasprit Bumrah claimed 2-24.
In the chase, Manish Pandey top-scored with 48 off 35, while Mandeep Singh scored 31 off 27. Chibhabha (2-13) and Taurai Muzarabani (2-31), however, impressed with the ball as India were held to 168-6. India needed eight runs off the last ball, with MS Dhoni at the crease. However, Neville Madziva bowled a sensational 20th over, conceding only five runs.
#3 July 2024 - Harare
Zimbabwe registered their third T20I triumph over Team India in Harare in the first match of the five-game series on Saturday, July 6. Bowling first after winning the toss, the Men in Blue did well to restrict the hosts to 115-9. Leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi stood out with figures of 4-13, while Washington Sundar claimed 2-11. For Zimbabwe, Clive Madande scored 29* off 25, while Brian Bennett hit 22 off 15.
India suffered a shocking batting collapse in the chase and crumbled to 47-6 inside 11 overs. Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for a duck on his international debut, while the other debutant, Riyan Parag, perished for 2. Ruturaj Gaikwad (7), Rinku Singh (0), and Dhruv Jurel (6) also fell cheaply to put Zimbabwe in command.
Indian captain Gill was holding things together for the Men in Blue. However, he was cleaned up for 31 off 29 by his opposite number Raza. Sundar (27 off 34) and Avesh Khan (16 off 12) gave India hope. Zimbabwe, however, prevailed in the end by 13 runs as Tendai Chatara claimed 3-16 and Raza 3-25.