With a score of 186 runs for the loss of 5 wickets, India defeated Zimbabwe, who managed to make 115 runs.
India was led to the commanding position with 186 for 5 due to the very amazing runs made by Surya Kumar in the death-over. 61 run and not out was Surya Kumar’s share. India also managed to bring Zimbabwe to 28 runs for the loss of 3 wickets very quickly by the end of the ‘power play’ and then on to 36 runs for the loss of 5 wickets.
Zimbabwe seemed to resist in patches. Sikandr Raza and Sean Williams took a wicket each in the twelfth, thirteenth and the fourteenth over. Ryan Buri and Raza managed to make 60 off 35 for the 6th wicket.
The inning’s last ball was a full toss. Suryakumar could go full scoop as the fine leg was back. He shoveled this over his right shoulder and hit the boundary.
Spectacular hits of Surya Kumar
England will need a strategy to bowl to Suryakumar for the semi-finals.
In the 18th over there was a an extra ‘cover-off’ 6 over off Chatara but the shots you can term as impressive came over the fine leg. Suryakumar managed to throw his front leg away when Zimbabwe was trying to full and ‘wide’. He managed to sweep 2 balls with immense power over to the boundary, even defying physics.
The inning’s last ball was a wide ‘full-toss’ Suryakumar managed another amazing boundary.
Rahul gets India to hum
Rahul tried giving Suryakumar the platform. He batted a maiden against Richard Ngarava and managed a six over the ‘deep fine leg’ and from then he seemed to be in good form.
There were 2 more 6’s, down the ground. The 2nd six brought his 50. There was good running with Virat Kohli in between
Brief Squeeze of Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe went in the ‘fight back’ mode in spite of the 50 of Rahul. This was between the 12th and the 15th over’s. Kohli was caught off the ball of Williams and Rahul was dismissed by Raza via a catch. This was when Rahul was trying to hit a 6.
The 3rd wicket was a catch from Buri.
India Blasts out the ‘Top’ Order
India had hit 83 runs off the last 6 overs of the innings. The seamers of India made a win all but ‘impossible’ in the power-play. A ‘late’ swinging delivery by Bhuneshwar was ‘almost’ middle by Wessly. This was close to Virat Kohli, who dived to his right and took a catch.
In the next over, Arshdeep could swing through the defenses of Regis Chakabva. Williams, late in the power play, managed to slash one to deep third. Hardik Pandya managed to get Craig Ervine caught and bowled in the 7th over. Toni Munyonga was nailed by Shami after which the road only got too steep. Even the stand of Raza and Buri was not threatening. So, as known, India has brilliantly reached the semi-finals of the T20 of 2022.
