Chevrons batting headache

Brandon Moyo

ZIMBABWE T20I captain Sikandar Raza believes his team must return to the drawing board to address their batting issues as they aim to bounce back in the second T20I match, scheduled for Queens Sports Club this afternoon.

An abysmal batting display in the series opener on Sunday saw Zimbabwe collapse from 87/3 after 10 overs to 108 all out in 15.3 overs, losing the match by 57 runs.

The Chevrons were chasing a target of 166 runs.

Speaking after the game on Sunday, Raza acknowledged the collapse was hard to accept but emphasised the need for the team to upskill and put in the work in the nets as they look to level the series.

He believes the team must return to the drawing board to fix their issues. With ball in hand, the Chevrons also conceded 65 runs in the last five overs.

“To leak 40-odd runs in the last three overs, I thought the momentum shifted. At 90-odd for two or three after 10 overs, you’re backing yourself.

“To see ourselves all out for 110 is a tough pill to swallow right now. I have always said you correct these things in the nets.

“If we all go back to our training methods and train smartly, look at the conditions, we know exactly what the conditions are like, and what’s best when the ball gets old outside the powerplay.

“It’s very easy to go in the nets and just work on your power hitting, but the quality of bowling and sometimes the wickets don’t allow that. So upskilling ourselves is crucial.

“If you’re not finding a boundary, hit it in pockets for ones and twos, have fewer dots, build partnerships, and stay in the game,” said Raza.

The all-rounder added he is confident the team will be able to correct their mistakes.

“It’s all up to individuals to raise their hands, understand where we’ve gone wrong, and try to correct our mistakes, which I know we are very capable of.

“We were looking to win the game, to be honest. When you’re 90-odd after 10 overs with three wickets down, you’re thinking we have a great chance of winning,” Raza said.

Today’s match is a high-stakes encounter for Zimbabwe, with the series on the line.

A win for the Chevrons will level the three-match series at 1-1, leaving everything to play for in the decider on Thursday.

A victory for Pakistan will give them an unassailable 2-0 lead with one match remaining.

Today’s match is scheduled to start at 1pm.