Harare:Â India delivered a comprehensive performance in the first of the two T20s against Zimbabwe in Harare on Friday.Â
After Robin Uthappa’s 35-ball 39 helped India post 178/7, spinners Axar Patel and Harbhajan Singh shared five wickets to give India a easy win.
Earlier, Uthappa, who struggled during the ODI series, batted sensibly and held the innings together after coming one down in the seventh over after India elected to bat at the Harare Sports Club.
He shared 45 runs for the third wicket with Manish Pandey (19) to accelerate the Indian innings towards the end after openers Ajinkya Rahane (33) and Murali Vijay (34) gave a good start at the top. Uthappa hit just two fours in his 35-ball innings.
The Indians made a strong start with captain Rahane and Vijay stitching 64 runs for the opening wicket in seven overs.
The duo were scoring runs with ease and at a brisk pace before a run out snapped their partnership.
Vijay, who was shaping up to play a big innings, fell short of reaching his crease as a brilliant throw from Sikandar Raza from midwicket hit the stumps. Vijay hit five fours and a six in his aggressive 19-ball innings.
Rahane did not take any risk, scoring in singles and twos and rotating strikes before he was out in the 10th over off a fine delivery from leg-spinner Graeme Cremer.
The ball drew Rahane onto the front foot and turned a bit to take the edge of his bat before looping to point fielder Masakadza for an easy catch. India were 82/2 at Rahane’s departure. Rahane faced 32 balls and hit two fours.
Zimbabwe slow bowlers then put brakes on the Indian scoring rate with Cremer (1/20 from his four overs) playing the lead role. The Indians could score just 31 runs in five overs from the 10th to 14th over.
It was then left to Pandey and Uthappa to push the Indian score up. While Pandey could not make a substantial contribution by getting out in the 16th over after scoring a run—a—ball 19, Uthappa made his presence felt with an unbeaten innings.
For Zimbabwe, pacer Chris Mpofu grabbed three wickets for 33 runs from his four overs while Cremer got one.