India’s WC winning trio joins squad ahead of third T20

HAVING levelled the five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe on Sunday, visiting India have received reinforcements to their squad with the coming in of their T20 World Cup winning trio ahead of the third match which gets underway at Harare Sports Club today.

India played their first two matches of the series without the trio of Shivam Dube, Sanju Samson and Yashasvi Jaiswal who were at the T20 World Cup celebrations back home after a successful campaign in the West Indies.

With the coming in of the three World Cup winners, the youthful Indian side will be hoping to use their experience to their advantage as they look to take the series lead. The trio had their first full training session in Harare on Monday morning.

They joined the rest of the team at the back of India’s crushing 100-run win that saw them level the five-match T20I series 1-1 on Sunday afternoon.

Samson was, however, spotted in India’s dugout on Sunday during the second match.
The Chevrons won the opening match of the series on Saturday by 13 runs after successfully defending their low total of 115 runs. Zimbabwe was asked to bat first and were restricted to 115/9 in 20 overs before their bowlers came to the party with ball in hand to bowl out India for just 102 runs in 19,5 overs.

It was to be a different story in the second encounter on Sunday with the visitors going on to score a mammoth 234/2 in their 20 overs. The Chevrons’ batting woes continued once again in that particular game, crumbling to 134 runs all out in 18,4 overs.

With India likely to make changes to their starting 11 courtesy of the World Cup winning trio, Zimbabwe on the other hand, is unlikely to make any changes with the skipper Sikandar Raza saying that it is unfair to ask for changes in the team after a bad game from his players.

The 38-year-old all-rounder was speaking after the match on Sunday and said he has faith that his side will turn their fortunes around. Fast bowler, Richard Ngarava is likely to play if he is deemed fit by team doctors.
Ngarava is yet to get game time in this series owing to injury.

“We are a nation that is very quick to sort of ask for changes suddenly when there’s a bad game. Let’s not forget, 24 hours ago, these boys were the same ones who won us a game against India. I’m not a big believer of ringing too many changes just because these boys have had a bad game. So, I want to show that faith. Selectors want to show that faith, the board wants to show that faith as well.

So, I think we’re all on the same page in that.
“This is not a series where we want to just hand out debut caps. We have been down this route before where debut caps were given out like candies.
“So you should have to earn your debut. But, yes Richard Ngarava has earned his right. If he is declared fit, then I think he should be in the team.

“But that’s a call that needs to be made by the physio and the doctors. So, if he’s good to go, then I think he comes straight back in,” said Raza on Sunday.

Today’s match starts at 1pm with gate charges ranging from US$5 for the rest of the ground to US$20 for Centurion and Red Lion stands.
— @brandon_malvin