Harare: After being handed a 10-wicket thrashing by India in the fourth T20I at the Harare Sports Club, Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza said Saturday’s match warrants one to doff their hat to the scintillating batting display from Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Shubman Gill.
Left-arm pacer Khaleel Ahmed took 2-32 in a collective bowling show for India to keep Zimbabwe to 152/7 in 20 overs. Raza stepped up to take Zimbabwe out of a mid-innings wobble and take them past 150 with a 28-ball 46, laced with two fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 164.29.
But in reply, Jaiswal (93 not out) and Gill (58 not out) carried their bats throughout the chase to hunt down the target in just 15.2 overs and get a big win as well as the series with 28 balls to spare.
“I think because the wicket was a touch on the slower side, we thought 160 was a par score, but 180 wouldn’t have been enough. Today is the day you hold your heads high and say they batted better,” said Raza after the match ended.
The all-rounder also admitted they fell short of a few more runs in their batting innings and hoped Zimbabwe will be a competitive side in the future, especially with the 2026 Men’s T20 World Cup qualification in sight. During his quick-fire knock, Raza also became the first Zimbabwean batter to score 2000 men’s T20I runs.
“I am very sure we will be a very competitive side in a short time. Even though the last five overs went for 54-55 we could have got more runs. There was a bit of kick, bounce and we had to reign ourselves in.”
“They batted really well and batted us out of the game. The wicket was slightly on the slower side and it was spongy. The heavy roller did the trick for them. It became a beautiful wicket. We will want to finish the series 3-2 tomorrow,” he concluded.
(IANS)
