Online Reporter
Eddie Chikamhi
Zimpapers Sports Hub
THE gulf between Zimbabwe and world T20 champions India continued to show after the Chevrons fell short by 35 runs in a difficult chase, and conceded a 3-0 series whitewash at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
India’s wonderkid, Vaibhav Sooryavanshi, ensured there was no consolation for the home side with a polished batting performance, as he propelled India to a formidable total of 192/5, with his second T20I fifty.
The Zimbabweans put up a decent fight, but they could only manage 157/7 in their allotted 20 overs against one of the most sophisticated bowling attack. The chase was always going to be daunting after the Indians had won the toss and elected to bat first.
On a bright, sunny day that had all the ingredients for a brilliant day of cricket, the fans turned out in their numbers despite the match having been reduced to a dead rubber after Zimbabwe had fallen 2-0 on Saturday.
The hosts, to their credit, made a promising start when they captured the big wicket of Abishek Sharma (2) early, with 20 runs on the board inside the first two overs.
But then the script changed afterwards as Ishan Khan joined Sooryavanshi on the middle and the pair added 75 runs from fifty balls for the third wicket.
The Chevrons struggled to contain the Indians through the middle overs and the visitors had put 95 runs at halfway mark when they lost their second wicket.
Skipper Shreyas Iyer played a vital cameo with his 27 from 18 balls. Rinku Singh and Tilak Varma also played a hand in India’s commanding total with some late flourish.
But the Chevrons bowlers rallied back at the death and restricted India, who had threatened to pile on a 200-plus total in a second successive match against Zimbabwe.
Brad Evans finished with 2-41 while there were also wickets each for Blessing Muzarabani, skipper Sikandar Raza, and Wessly Madhevere. But Zimbabwe had already suffered considerable damage from the bat of 15-year-old Sooryavanshi, who won his first man-of-the-match as well as man-of-the-series for the first time in his fledgling career, after five games at senior level.
The teenage opener produced a scintillating 81 from 39 balls, and his knock comprised eight boundaries and four sixes. He finished with 151 runs in three matches.
“It felt very good,” said Sooryavanshi, who was part of the Indian youth team for the Under-19 World Cup hosted in Zimbabwe earlier this year.
“The preparation here has been good. I played the Under-19 World Cup here as well, and I feel good playing here. Everyone backed me, including the coach and the captain.
“I tried to play my usual T20 game and tried to give the team a good start, and then play a long innings if I manage a good start. What I do in practice, I try to replicate that in the matches. It is a dream come true. First man of the match and man of the series,” he said.
Sooryavanshi’s knock eclipsed the fine efforts from Zimbabwe’s Ryan Burl, who scored his fifth T20I fifty yesterday, following an unbeaten 54 from 43 deliveries.
Burl was the stand-out performer after the Zimbabwean batters once again struggled with India’s pace variation. The explosive left-hander was also recognised for reaching 2 000 international T20I runs.
His 60-run partnership with Wessly Madhevere (from 50 balls) gave Zimbabwe a glimmer of hope, but the game continued to drift out of reach because of the galloping required run rate. Zimbabwe’s problems came to the surface in the first ball of the chase when opener Brian Bennett was dismissed for a golden duck, to compound a difficult tour for the Zimbabwe vice-captain.
Skipper Raza was also removed for nought as Zimbabwe lost wickets at regular intervals, in the quest to overhaul the big target. India were not clinical in the field with at least four dropped catches, yet they comfortably wrapped up the series.
Raza said there was no shame in losing to the world champions, but he had a lot of lessons to take away from the encounter.
“To be honest with you, if you do not play against the top nations in the world as a country, we can’t grow. And I think the world cricket is much better when all the countries are playing good cricket,” said Raza.
“So, the learning from this series will certainly help us to bridge that gap between the top nations and slightly the lower-ranked nations because I feel like cricket is an opportunity where everybody is playing really well.
“And for us, the biggest learning is the experience that we have had. Newman Nyamhuri has certainly been a great addition to the side as well. “(Tadiwanashe) Marumani taking on the numbers six and seven. Ryan Burl has had some decent runs. So, you know, there’s a lot of good things that I can think of. So, yeah, very happy,” said Raza.
India captain Shreyas also praised his team, which included a few new faces for the Zimbabwe tour.
“We have a bunch of players who can show a tremendous energy on the field,” he said.
“And they intend, especially when they run five games, to have such kind of energy as what I require as a captain and as a team. And they could deliver today as well, back-to-back games.
“So, yeah, a special feeling for me to win the series over here in Zimbabwe, clearing to 3-0. So, it’s going to be a special moment.”
