World Cup winners India slump to Zimbabwe loss in first T20

(indiatvnews) - Zimbabwe stunned the newly-crowned T20 World Champions in the opening T20I of the five-match series in Harare. This was Zimbabwe's third T20I win over India. The Men in Blue have hit a record low after their 13-run loss to the Chevrons.

Zimbabwe have stunned the newly-crowned T20 World Champions India in the first T20I of the five-match series in Harare. The Chevrons bowled the Men in Blue out for just 102 in their defence of 115 to register a famous win over the Shubman Gill-led side at the Harare Sports Club. This was Zimbabwe's third T20I win over India with the first two coming in 2015 and 2016.

India were asked to chase 116 after they bowled the hosts out for 115 with Ravi Bishnoi taking four wickets. The Indians looked to put up a fight after losing four wickets inside the powerplay but the Chevrons kept chipping away with wickets.

Washington Sundar was the lone hope for the new-look Indian side after the visitors went down to 61/7 in 12.5 overs. Sundar put up a fight with a 27-run knock from 34 balls but that went into vain as he could not take his team over the line.

Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for a duck in the first over only as he holed out offspinner Brian Bennett to the deep mid-wicket fence on the fourth ball of the run-chase. Zimbabwe bowlers kept chipping away with wickets as the world champions India were reduced to 28/4 in the first six overs. The newly-crowned captain Shubman Gill held one end together for the first half of the innings. But he got dismissed in the 11th over with the team's score reading 47 and the Chevrons got the big believe.

India restricted Zimbabwe to 115/9 in the first innings with Ravi Bishnoi taking four wickets. He ended a fabulous spell of four overs with 4/13 as the Chevrons found it tough against the leg-spinner. Wicketkeeper batter Clive Madande remained the top-scorer with 29 runs to his name.

This was India's lowest total against Zimbabwe in the International cricket. Their previous lowest was 135 in a T20I loss to the Chevrons in 2015. Notably, this was also the first time that the Chevrons have bowled the Men in Blue out in a T20I game. Never in the previous eight T20Is before this, they could have got all the Indian wickets in a T20I game.

Lowest T20I totals for India vs Zimbabwe: 

• 102 in T20Is in 2024
• 135/9 in T20Is in 2015
• 138/6 in T20Is in 2016
• 168 in ODIs in 1997
• 168/6 in T20Is in 2016