In a two-pace pitch, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Gill had a 67-run opening stand, before Zimbabwe imposed a slowdown in the middle overs. Gill and Gaikwad joined forces for a 72-run partnership off 44 balls for the third wicket, ensuring India surpassed 180. It also helped them that the hosts' fielding was absolutely sloppy and they dropped multiple catches.
In reply, Zimbabwe were reduced to 39/5, before Myers and Clive Madande had a 77-run sixth wicket stand to keep Zimbabwe in the hunt. Myers was unbeaten on 65 off 49 balls but it ended in vain as Zimbabwe could only score 159/6 in 20 overs. Apart from Sundar's triple, Avesh Khan picked 2-39, while Khaleel Ahmed was excellent with his 1-15.
India made four changes to their playing XI, with T20 World Cup winners Shivam Dube, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson returning to the team. That meant Jaiswal opened the batting, with Abhishek Sharma taking a down and Gaikwad dropping to number four.
Choosing to bat first, Jaiswal got India off to a good start as he spun, hit and bowled Brian Bennet for a six and two fours in a 15-run opening. Gill got off the mark with a great flick of the wrist going for four against Richard Ngarava, before bowling it and driving it for six and four respectively, as the second over yielded 14 runs.
The runs continued to flow for India, especially with Zimbabwe's fielding being pedestrian, as Jaiswal got Tendai Chatara for a four and a six respectively, before Gill struck and got an outside edge off Blessing Muzarabani for two fours in the fourth over. .
After India crossed their 50-run stand in 4.1 overs, Zimbabwe imposed a slowdown and even removed Jaiswal, only for Marumani at sweeper cover to take advantage of the opportunity off Chatara, who went for four. Jaiswal finally fell for 36 in the ninth over when he prepared to play a reverse sweep off Sikandar Raza but ended up trapping a backward point.
Raza struck again when Abhishek Sharma struggled but holed deep to mid-wicket in the 11th over. Gill came down the field twice to reach boundaries, before taking an outside edge at Chatara's cut for four to get his fifty off 36 balls, the first time he had completed a half-century as Indian captain.
Gaikwad broke loose by hitting a six and two fours in his first 10 balls. The duo hit six each off Raza's over-pitched balls in the 17th over, before Gill mis-lofted a mid-on off Muzarabani in the next over.
Gaikwad sent Ngarava full tosses towards boundaries, before ducking to deep cover in the final over. It took a last-ball boundary from Sanju Samson to take India past the 180-run mark, as they remained unbeaten on 12.
India had early success in their defense of 182 when Avesh had Wesley Madhevere meekly cut to short cover. Khaleel hit when Tadiwanashe Marumani tried to hit upwards but missed mid-on. Bennett tried to cut Avesh, but Ravi Bishnoi timed his jump well to complete a stunning catch at the back point.
Raza tried to fight back by hitting three boundaries but Washington inched him to mid-wicket in the seventh over. The off-spinner struck again in the same over as he attracted Johnathan Campbell to drive and the outside edge was broken at first slip.
Madande and Myers delighted in the width and friendly lengths of part-timers Abhishek and Shivam Dube as well as Bishnoi to hit nine boundaries in their brilliant 77-run stand for the sixth wicket. Washington came back to break the partnership by bowling a wide delivery, for which Madande tried to cross and sweep with difficulty, but it holed deep at mid-wicket.
Myers scored his first T20I fifty by cleaning up his front leg and running Bishnoi for six. He and Wellington Masakadza hit some boundaries in the final against Avesh and produced 18 runs, but the late flourish was not enough for Zimbabwe to avoid a defeat to India.
Brief scores:
India 182/4 in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 66, Ruturaj Gaikwad 49; Sikandar Raza 2-24, Blessing Muzarabani 2-25) beat Zimbabwe 159/6 in 20 overs (Dion Myers 65 not out, Clive Madande 37; Washington Sundar 3 -15, Avesh Khan 2-39) by 23 runs
In reply, Zimbabwe were reduced to 39/5, before Myers and Clive Madande had a 77-run sixth wicket stand to keep Zimbabwe in the hunt. Myers was unbeaten on 65 off 49 balls but it ended in vain as Zimbabwe could only score 159/6 in 20 overs. Apart from Sundar's triple, Avesh Khan picked 2-39, while Khaleel Ahmed was excellent with his 1-15.
India made four changes to their playing XI, with T20 World Cup winners Shivam Dube, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson returning to the team. That meant Jaiswal opened the batting, with Abhishek Sharma taking a down and Gaikwad dropping to number four.
Choosing to bat first, Jaiswal got India off to a good start as he spun, hit and bowled Brian Bennet for a six and two fours in a 15-run opening. Gill got off the mark with a great flick of the wrist going for four against Richard Ngarava, before bowling it and driving it for six and four respectively, as the second over yielded 14 runs.
The runs continued to flow for India, especially with Zimbabwe's fielding being pedestrian, as Jaiswal got Tendai Chatara for a four and a six respectively, before Gill struck and got an outside edge off Blessing Muzarabani for two fours in the fourth over. .
After India crossed their 50-run stand in 4.1 overs, Zimbabwe imposed a slowdown and even removed Jaiswal, only for Marumani at sweeper cover to take advantage of the opportunity off Chatara, who went for four. Jaiswal finally fell for 36 in the ninth over when he prepared to play a reverse sweep off Sikandar Raza but ended up trapping a backward point.
Raza struck again when Abhishek Sharma struggled but holed deep to mid-wicket in the 11th over. Gill came down the field twice to reach boundaries, before taking an outside edge at Chatara's cut for four to get his fifty off 36 balls, the first time he had completed a half-century as Indian captain.
Gaikwad broke loose by hitting a six and two fours in his first 10 balls. The duo hit six each off Raza's over-pitched balls in the 17th over, before Gill mis-lofted a mid-on off Muzarabani in the next over.
Gaikwad sent Ngarava full tosses towards boundaries, before ducking to deep cover in the final over. It took a last-ball boundary from Sanju Samson to take India past the 180-run mark, as they remained unbeaten on 12.
India had early success in their defense of 182 when Avesh had Wesley Madhevere meekly cut to short cover. Khaleel hit when Tadiwanashe Marumani tried to hit upwards but missed mid-on. Bennett tried to cut Avesh, but Ravi Bishnoi timed his jump well to complete a stunning catch at the back point.
Raza tried to fight back by hitting three boundaries but Washington inched him to mid-wicket in the seventh over. The off-spinner struck again in the same over as he attracted Johnathan Campbell to drive and the outside edge was broken at first slip.
Madande and Myers delighted in the width and friendly lengths of part-timers Abhishek and Shivam Dube as well as Bishnoi to hit nine boundaries in their brilliant 77-run stand for the sixth wicket. Washington came back to break the partnership by bowling a wide delivery, for which Madande tried to cross and sweep with difficulty, but it holed deep at mid-wicket.
Myers scored his first T20I fifty by cleaning up his front leg and running Bishnoi for six. He and Wellington Masakadza hit some boundaries in the final against Avesh and produced 18 runs, but the late flourish was not enough for Zimbabwe to avoid a defeat to India.
Brief scores:
India 182/4 in 20 overs (Shubman Gill 66, Ruturaj Gaikwad 49; Sikandar Raza 2-24, Blessing Muzarabani 2-25) beat Zimbabwe 159/6 in 20 overs (Dion Myers 65 not out, Clive Madande 37; Washington Sundar 3 -15, Avesh Khan 2-39) by 23 runs
