The first T20I of the five-match series between Zimbabwe and India will be played at Harare on July 6. Here are the likely playing XIs, team news, commentary, and match odds.
ZIM v IND: Live score and ball-by-ball commentary
Follow the live score and get ball-by-ball updates for the Zimbabwe v India second T20I here.
The match will begin at 1 PM local time. The toss will take place 30 minutes before that.
Today's ZIM vs IND 2nd T20I – match preview
Zimbabwe v India
Where: Harare Sports Club, Harare
When: July 7, 1 pm local time
The World Champions were stunned in the first T20I yesterday by an inspired Zimbabwe lineup, breaking their 12-match winning streak in the format. With a short turnaround of less than 24 hours, Shubman Gill and his boys will have to dust the defeat off and focus on the task at hand.
In their first game since becoming T20 World Cup champions, India have been stunned by Zimbabwe 😮
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) July 6, 2024
The result ends a run of 12 consecutive T20I wins for India ❌
READ: https://t.co/5HQLBknH2p#ZIMvIND pic.twitter.com/edirtMN4iu
Sikandar Raza led Zimbabwe from the front, marshalling his troops brilliantly on the field and bowling a match-defining spell while defending 116. The infectious energy of the hosts on the field was reflected in the capacity crowd at the Harare Sports Club, who had the time of their lives. They would want to ride on the momentum and convert the 1-0 scoreline into an imposing 2-0 lead.
Also Read: Did Washington Sundar get his final-over sums wrong in India’s defeat to Zimbabwe?
ZIM vs IND: Where to watch the second T20I live?
The complete set of TV channels and live streaming platforms can be found here.
ZIM v IND: Who are the key players?
Shubman Gill
Gill's wicket was the turning point in the first T20I. On the slow deck of the Harare Sports Club, he will be India's most important batter.
Sikandar Raza
Raza is Zimbabwe's leader in every aspect, as he showed in the first game with a 19-ball 17 and a four-over spell of 3-25. He will hold the key with both bat and ball once again.
ZIM v IND toss and team news
Toss yet to take place.
Zimbabwe
Expect Zimbabwe to stick to their winning combination from the first game. They would, however, want more output from their batters. Five of their top seven crossed 15 in the first match, but none went beyond 29.
India
Despite the shock defeat, India would be wary of making reactionary changes in a day, especially since the first match saw three people making their debuts. If anything, they might hand out another debut in the form of Harshit Rana in an attempt to add batting depth to their XI.
ZIM v IND: Predicted playing 11
Zimbabwe
Wessly Madhevere, Innocent Kaia, Brian Bennett , Sikandar Raza (c), Dion Myers, Johnathan Campbell, Clive Madande (wk), Wellington Masakadza, Luke Jongwe, Blessing Muzarabani, Tendai Chatara
India
Shubman Gill (c), Abhishek Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed.
Pitch report and ground conditions
In 2023, the average first-innings total was 143 across six games. In all T20, that number rose to 153 in 2023 and 165 in 2024. However, if the first match of this series was any indication, the pitch can be expected to be slow and difficult for stroke-making, forcing batters, especially the visiting ones, to adjust and not aim too high in terms of the team total.
The weather in Harare is going to be pleasant with temperatures hovering in the early 20s (in Celsius) and no chance of rain.
Team form (Most recent first)
ZIM: WWLLL
IND: LWWWW
Odds and match prediction
India are 1.16 win the first T20I, according to Stake, while Zimbabwe are priced at 4.90, an improvement from their price of 6.33 for the first match.
Follow Wisden for all T20 World Cup updates, including live scores, match stats, quizzes and more. Stay up to date with the latest cricket news, player updates, team standings, match highlights and video analysis.
