In a crucial Group 1 clash in the Super 8s stage in Chennai, India took on Zimbabwe and were asked to bat first by Sikandar Raza who won the toss and decided to bowl. Sanju Samson was back in the side and opened with Abhishek Sharma and India got off to a racing start initially due to Samson before he fell and then Abhishek got into the groove and has Ishan Kishan for company for now as India have started well after losing the toss.
Sanju Samson falls but India gets off to a racing start in powerplay.Â
Put into bat first, Sanju Samson and Abhishek Sharma came out to bat for India while Richard Ngarava had ball in hand for Zimbabwe. Samson made his intentions clear as he went straight down the ground flat and hard over long-off for the maximum. Ngarva gave away 4 leg byes to the batting side as well. Blessing Muzarabani came into the attack next. Samson took him on by smashing it hard over long-on for the maximum.
Tinotenda Maposa came into the attack and bowled a no ball which Abhishek lofted it over extra covers for a boundary. The wide followed two balls in a row as Abhishek then hit the free hit down the ground over the bowler’s head for a boundary. Sanju threw his hands at it and played the late cut between short third man and backward point for a boundary. Abhishek took on the bowler again and went over long-on down the ground for the maximum.
Blessing continued and he struck for the Chevrons removing Samson for 24 off 15 balls with 1 four and 2 sixes to his name. Blessing changed his pace and bowled an off-cutter on a hard length pitching on middle and leg stump line and came back to Samson who backed away down the leg side and went for the pull shot and there was no pace to work with and mistimed the ball to deep midwicket where Burl took the catch running in. Ishan Kishan came out to bat next and got off the mark as well.
Brad Evans came into the attack next as the 50 came up for India in 4.1 overs. Abhishek went bang and launched it high and handsome over cow corner for the maximum. Abhishek got an outside edge as the ball got past the stumps and away for a boundary. Ngarava came to bowl the last over of powerplay. Ishan helped the ball on the pads to the short fine leg fence. Ishan went big again as swivelled and rolled his wrists to pull it again to short fine leg.
Abhishek went big as he slapped it straight over the umpire’s head for the maximum. India were 80/1 in 6 overs with Abhishek unbeaten on 33 off 13 balls and Ishan unbeaten on 15 off 9 balls.
India marched forward and passed the 100-run mark inside 10 overs.Â
Sikandar Raza came into the attack post the powerplay and bowled a quiet over. Brian Bennett came into the attack from the other end. Bennett too kept things under check. Raza continued as Ishan broke the shackles as he charged down the track and slogged it away to deep midwicket fence. The 50-run stand came up between the duo.
Bennett continued as Ishan batting on 26 was dropped by Musekiwa in the deep region. The 100 came up for India in 9.1 overs. Abhishek charged down the track and launched it over long-on for the maximum. India reached 109/1 in 10 overs with Abhishek unbeaten on 49 off 25 balls and Ishan unbeaten on 28 off 21 balls.
What Lies Ahead.Â
India are in a strong position at this stage and with wickets in hand and past the 100-run mark they should get past 200 from here. The Zimbabwe team needs wickets in clusters to peg India back to under 200. Let’s see what the next phase of play has ahead of us.
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