Young opening batter Yashasvi Jaiswal, a member of the Indian team that clinched the T20 World Cup 2024 title in the West Indies and USA last month, scored an attacking fifty to help India chase down the target of 153 runs against Zimbabwe in just 15.2 overs. India beat Zimbabwe by 10 wickets in the fourth T20I at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday.
The win in the fourth T20I of the ongoing five-match series helped India go 3-1 up and seal the series. The 22-year-old left-handed batter Jaiswal made the most of his opportunity at the top, scoring 93 runs off 53 balls. He completed his half-century in just 29 balls, hitting nine fours.
Shubman Gill remained unbeaten on 58 runs from 39 balls, marking his second consecutive fifty against Zimbabwe. In the third T20I played on Wednesday, he scored 66 runs.
Earlier, India’s part-time bowlers Shivam Dube and Abhishek Sharma performed commendably in the middle overs, restricting Zimbabwe to a manageable 152 for seven in 20 overs. Zimbabwe's skipper Sikander Raza smashed 46 off 28 balls, but India’s fifth bowler Abhishek (1/20 in 3 overs) and sixth option Dube (1/11 in 2 overs) kept the proceedings under control.
Abhishek and Dube removed the dangerous-looking opening duo of Wesley Madhevere (25 off 24 balls) and Tadiwanashe Marumani (32 off 31 balls), putting brakes on Zimbabwe's progress in the middle overs. Raza, with three sixes and two fours, was instrumental in Zimbabwe reaching a 150-plus total, with almost all Indian bowlers, except leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, entering their names in the wickets column.
Medium-fast bowler Tushar Deshpande (1/30 in 3 overs) was handed a debut cap but struggled initially, either pitching too full or bowling too short. He eventually redeemed himself by getting rid of Raza with a slower delivery in the slog overs, preventing Zimbabwe from surpassing 170.
Zimbabwe’s best opening stand for the series in the first three games was nine runs, but Madhevere and Marumani added 63 in a solid, albeit unspectacular, stand. Once the opening partnership was broken by left-arm spinner Abhishek Sharma, Zimbabwe couldn't capitalize on the advantage. Marumani mistimed a pull-shot into Rinku Singh’s hands, and Madhevere was dismissed by Dube after failing to get the required elevation and distance on a short ball, with Rinku completing the catch at deep mid-wicket.
Brian Bennett, who was brilliant with the bat in the second game, failed to get going and was sent back by Washington Sundar after scoring just nine runs off 14 balls. This followed a tight bowling spell by Dube and Abhishek, who bowled wicket-to-wicket and kept a check on scoring.
India's comprehensive victory and series win underscore their dominance and the promising talent of young players like Jaiswal and Gill, who continue to make significant contributions to the team’s success.
