What an incredible win for Zimbabwe, and this sets up the series perfectly. We will be back for the second T20 on Monday. For a change, India will be forced to contemplate.
Elton Chigumbura said, "It was a good effort from the whole team, everyone contributed. The last over Neville bowled was exceptional. It's my wife's birthday today, I dedicate this to her. This game gave us the confidence to do it again, and we are looking forward to it."
Graeme Cremer said, "Excellent comeback after the losses in the ODI series. There are 2 games to go, we are not going to stop here. We knew Elton coming in can always be dangerous, and today was a special innings. Today could have gone either way, we are fortunate it came our way."
Mahendra Singh Dhoni said, "It's a contest between ball and bat, the last ball was special and we lost the game. If you see the wickets we conceded, they weren't full fledged shots, almost catching practice, this is the stage where you have to gain the experience and I'm glad the boys are learning, playing these games. I don't think we need to think a lot, the fast bowlers will come back for the next game, credit to their batsmen, we need to work on our length."
Incredible game of T20 cricket. Zimbabwe put on a very respectable 170 on the back of a special 50 from Chigumbura, Chasing the total, India lost their current golden boy KL Rahul for a duck. Mandeep Singh put on 31 and Manish Pandey scored 48 as India seemed to be on their way to another win, but an incredible last over by Madziva swung the game in Zimbabwe's favour as he defended 8 runs, going for only 6. Dhoni faced the last ball of the game, the master at finishing games, and could only take a single. Great win for Zimbabwe.
19.5 Madziva to Rishi Dhawan, 1 WIDE, drama drama, he shuffled across and gave it a big mow... Wow how is that a wide? That's an absolutely ridiculous call! Rishi Dhawan walks a mile across, has a wide swipe at the ball, the ball goes under the bat and it has been called a wide.
19.2 Madziva to Axar, OUT, length ball and in the slot, Axar hit is hard and clean but straight to long off. Wow, we have another twist! CAN THERE BE ANOTHER TWIST IN THIS REMARKABLE TALE? I do not believe it, he has absolutely smashed this. SMASHED! Straight down long off's throat though. Axar is irate, has to walk off after at 9 ball 18.
18.6 Tiripano to Axar, SIX, length ball in the slot, Axar plants his foot and launches it over long on! Oh, that is one special shot. 14 required off 7, and now 8 required off 6. The entire complexion of the game has changed with that shot.
18.5 Tiripano to Axar, 2 runs, length ball on the pads, Axar looks to flick it over mid-wicket, lobs it for a brace. That stayed in the air for quite a while, luckily, for Axar and India, it lands safe.
17.5 Muzarabani to Axar, SIX, length ball in the slot, Axar swings his arms through and the ball exits the ground! Axar Patel has only one gear: Overdrive. Takes him just two balls to deposit one out of the park.
17.2 Muzarabani to Pandey, OUT, full ball on off, Pandey looks to smack it down the ground, miscues the drive and the ball lobs to sweeper cover. Timely strike! What has Manish Pandey done there?! Lost his wicket at such a crucial time. Just needed to stay in with the skipper and see his team home, but collapses after a good innings it must be said.
