In a Group B clash in Colombo, Zimbabwe bowlers came out all guns blazing and through Blessing Muzarabani and Brad Evans they rattled Australia by taking 4 wickets in the powerplay. But Australia through Glenn Maxwell and Matt Renshaw are fighting hard and have kept Australia in the reckoning. The match is back in balance as Australia bats deep.
Zimbabwe strikes four times to push Australia on the back foot in powerplay.Â
Chasing 170 for the win, Josh Inglis and captain Travis Head came out to bat for Australia while captain Sikandar Raza had ball in hand for Zimbabwe. Head got off the mark with a boundary with a drive through extra covers and covers for a boundary. Inglis joined the fun with a slog sweep over wide long-on for the maximum. Blessing Muzarabani came into the attack next. He struck straightaway as he removed Inglis for 8 off 4 balls with one six to his name.
Blessing from over the wicket bowled a short of a length delivery angling into the batter. Inglis swivelled around for the pull shot and didn’t time the ball well as Musekiwa dived forward and took the catch. Cameron Green came out to bat next. Head hopped and pulled it away to deep midwicket for a boundary. Brad Evans came into the attack next. Head drove through mid-off for a boundary.
Evans then dismissed Green for a silver duck. The back of a length cross seam delivery outside the off-stump. Green looked to cut it away and got the bottom edge of the bat and the keeper took the catch. Tim David came out to bat next. Muzarabani continued and got rid of David for a silver duck. Blessing bowled a short of a length delivery down the leg side. David’s eyes lit up and went for the pull shot and mistimed it straight to short fine leg where Cremer took the catch. Glenn Maxwell came out to bat next.
Evans continued and he dismissed Head for 17 off 15 balls with 3 fours to his name. Evans bowled a lengthy delivery outside the off-stump. Head pushed at it and got the inside edge that rolled back into the stumps. Matt Renshaw came out to bat and got off the mark as well.
Muzarabani continued to bowl the last over of powerplay. He bowled a good over. Australia are 38/4 in 6 overs of powerplay with Maxwell unbeaten on 6 off 8 balls while Renshaw is with him unbeaten on 4 off 5 balls. Drinks was taken on the field.
Glenn Maxwell and Matt Renshaw stabilised things for Australia till the halfway stage of the chase.Â
Sikandar Raza returned to the attack. He bowled a good over. Dion Myers came into the attack next. Renshaw cut it away past backward point for a boundary. The 50 came up for Australia in 7.3 overs. Sikandar Raza wanted to continue but had cramps and had to go off the field as Graeme Cremer came into the attack now. Maxwell brought out the reverse sweep past backward point for a boundary.
Wellington Masakadza came into the attack to bowl the 10th over. He bowled a decent first over, Australia were 67/4 in 10 overs with Maxwell unbeaten on 17 off 19 balls and Renshaw unbeaten on 21 off 18 balls. Australia now needed 103 runs off 60 balls to win the game.
What Lies Ahead.Â
Zimbabwe came out firing and reduced Australia in the powerplay to 29/4 at one stage. But the Aussies are fighting back and staying in the chase with Glenn Maxwell and Matt Renshaw at the crease. This match is back on and can go either ways. The Aussies fighting, Zimbabwe trying to hang on. Let’s see how the chase unfolds from here.
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