Internet Desk: India levelled the 3 match T20I series against Zimbabwe with a resounding 10 wicket win at the Harare Sports Club on Monday. Zimbabwe was bundled out for a paltry total of 99 runs. Barinder Sran, who made his debut for India, was the wrecker in chief picking 4 wickets for 10 runs. He was supported by Jasprit Bumrah who returned with figures of 3/11. Mandeep Singh and KL Rahul made cake walk of the target as they took India home with 41 balls to spare. Singh remained not out on 52(40) while Rahul was unbeaten on 47(40). Barinder Sran was declared the Man of the Match.
Seamer Barinder Sran made his first outing in a T20 International memorable as he returned the best figures by an Indian debutant in this format to help the visitors restrict Zimbabwe to a paltry 99 for nine in the second match here today.
Opting to bat after winning the toss, Zimbabwe were pushed on to the backfoot from the word go as Sran (4/10) along with Jasprit Bumrah (3/11) picked up wickets at regular intervals to run through the fragile batting line-up.
Sran finished with excellent figures in his quota of four overs, which is the second best globally. Before Sran, Pragyan Ojha (4/21) against Bangladesh in 2009 World T20, held the Indian record.
The duo of Sran and Bumrah picked up seven wickets between them while giving away just 21 runs in eight overs.
Owing to the pace duo’s efforts at the Harare Sports Club, India staged a strong fightback after a shocking two-run loss in the opening T20 International of the three-match series at the same venue.
Bangladesh’s Elias Sunny (5/13) holds the record for the best bowling figure by a debutant in T20 Internationals.
Playing the game in place of Richmond Mutumbani, Peter Moor (31) top-scored for the hapless hosts with the help of two boundaries and a six. As he tried to put up some kind of a fight, Moor’s innings ended when he was caught by Axar Patel off the bowling of Bumrah.
India had the day’s first breakthrough when 23-year-old Sran sent back Chamu Chibhabha (10) with an excellent change of pace in the third over. Two overs later, the young left-arm pacer from Sirsa, Haryana struck again as he uprooted Hamilton Masakadza’s (10) middle stump with a ball that had a hint of inward movement.
Sran continued to torment the home side as he had Sikandar Raza caught at gully by KL Rahul. Tinotenda Mutombodzi’s dismissal off the very next ball made it worse for Zimbabwe, who were reeling at 28 for four at that stage, leaving Sran on a hat-trick.
While Sran could not take three wickets off successive balls, Bumrah joined in the party by wiping off the lower-order. Zimbabwe could set up a modest chase for India, who whitewashed the hosts 3-0 in the preceding ODI series.
There was one wicket each for leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and Dhawal Kulkarni.
Both the teams will meet each other in the decider on Wednesday for the 3rd T20I.