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So that will be all for our coverage of this first T20I and if this game was anything to go by, expect a cracking couple of games to constitute the rest of the series. Do return for our coverage of it all with the second game to be played at this venue on Saturday, December 9, while also keeping yourselves updated with all the other cricketing news and action from around the world on Sportskeeda. For the moment, this is the troika of Arya Sekhar Chakraborty, Rajarshi Das and Sooryanarayanan Sesha calling it a night. Toodles!
Phew! That was nothing short of remarkable. A historic game and the crowd in Harare truly deserved a game of this kind. Both teams fought tooth and nail and have plenty of reasons to be pleased with their performance today. Lots of areas of improvement as well and that's the way of life isn't it? You learn with each passing day and the learnings that these two teams will take from this game will certainly hold them in better stead. Particularly when you talk of some of the younger players who got a chance.
Zimbabwean skipper Sikandar Raza is the Player of the Match for his sensational all-round performance. Here's what he has to say: Nice to be part of history but first of all credit goes to the fans for coming out in numbers and being part of this history. Certainly something they were looking forward to as well. I thought we gave 5-8 too many but credit to Delany for the way he batted in the last over. These things happen. 148 to chase, I was pretty happy with that. The most important thing is we've got over the line and given us something to cheer about. I was gutted to have not finished the game. You don't want to leave it to the tail-enders but credit to the way Richard and Blessing finished it. A lot of credit should go to Clive Madande as well for that knock. If you remain positive you will see the ball better and strike it better. The batters have to finish the game - this is our job, this is our responsibility. The way the young guys shone, they were absolutely brilliant today. (On the heated exchange in the middle) Everything's fine - what happens on the park stays on the park (smiles).
Paul Stirling (Ireland captain): Yeah first of all it was a brilliant game. Hopefully, we have entertained the crowd here. We will sit in the change room and have a chat on this on what went wrong. We will get a clarity when we sit together. We have got a couple of days to regroup. We kept losing wickets at the wrong time. We have to reaccess and hopefully come back better on Saturday and Sunday. We picked up crucial wickets as well, when you lose by just a wicket there can be several things which can be pointed at. I think that is something we want to keep working on.
It's time for the post-match presentation ceremony
Match Summary: Zimbabwe beat Ireland by 1 wicket off the last ball.
Sikandar Raza 65 (42) & 3/28 (4) | Richard Ngarava 2/23 (4) Andy Balbirnie 32 (25) | Josh Little 2/17 (4)
There was nothing to choose between these two sides ahead of this game and things were set up for an enthralling battle. And my word have we witnessed a thriller or what! The crowd at the Harare Sports Club has got its money's worth and if you're a Zimbabwean supporter, this is only extra special! The smiles ought to be back on the back of the heartbreak of not making the T20 World Cup and while it's not quite the same, this is a win that deserves to be cherished no less.
In pursuit of 148, the Zimbabwean top-order was kept on a leash as Barry McCarthy and Josh Little hit those hard lengths at will to extract some steep bounce in the process. Little in particular was relentless with his radar and gave nothing away, nabbing Sean Williams' wicket after McCarthy sent Tadiwanashe Marumani packing. Wessly Madhevere began positively and looked to play his shots but it was a struggle while he was out there with runs not coming by that easily.
It meant that Sikandar Raza had to do Sikandar Raza things. Imposing himself on Mark Adair in the final powerplay over, he looked to play his shots as he ensured that the asking rate never got out of hand. With Madhevere struggling to get a move on, it was imperative that the runs kept coming from one end at least. Madhevere threw it away while wickets fell at regular intervals, even as debutant Brian Bennett fell to a scorcher of a catch by Harry Tector.
There was no stopping Raza, however, as he notched up a half-century. All this in the midst of a heated exchange with Curtis Campher, by the way. He needed some support and Clive Madande provided just that with a confident display of batting. When the time came, Madande took the attack to the bowlers himself to bring the equation down to a run-a-ball off the last three overs. While Madande couldn't finish it off, this was always Zimbabwe's game to lose as long as Raza was out there. That was until the 19th over where the skipper's wicket put Ireland back in the mix, bringing it down to 9 runs needed off the last over.
Richard Ngarava's boundary in front of square on the leg-side swung things back in favor of the hosts before Adair pulled off the catch of the year at short third man, flinging himself onto the ball as it was traveling over his head even as he hurt himself in the process. Eventually, it took a bit of fortune - and 'Blessing' if you'd like - for Zimbabwe to scrape home courtesy an inside edge that evaded both the stumps and the keeper. Quite a stunning finish to a box office contest and it was truly a spectacle to watch! Stick around as we hear from the captains shortly...
The Chevrons prevail! Oh they prevail truly by what can only be termed the barest of all margins. History at the Harare Sports Club as the first international encounter under lights comes to a successful close. And the fans are dancing in the aisles in the stands to commemorate this in celebration. Zimbabwe hold on for dear life and go 1-0 up in the series!
20
overs
148/9score
0
2
1
4
W
2
runs
Blessing Muzarabani*
2(1)
Trevor Gwandu
5(5)
Barry McCarthy
2/37
19.6 Barry McCarthy to Blessing Muzarabani, Zimbabwe wins by the barest of margins! Spare of moment for the Irish, it's the inside edge which separates the two teams in what turned out to be an absolute humdinger. That was a fullish-length delivery a tad outside off, Muzarabani swinging across the line and the inside edge not stopped by the keeper and the batters had enough time to return back for the couple which they needed to seal the game. What a classic we had.
Right then. A penny for Blessing Muzarabani's thoughts? A penny for Barry McCarthy's thoughts? A penny for our own thoughts as well maybe? 2 needed off 1...
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Harare Sports Club
Blessing Muzarabani
*
Barry McCarthy
Video
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