Zimbabwe turn to T20Is to end India's dominance on tour

The short gap between the One-Day International (ODI) and Twenty20 International (T20I) series brings an opportunity for Zimbabwe to get back on their feet, dust themselves clean and seek a fresh beginning. The atmosphere must have been morose but Graeme Cremer, the Zimbabwe captain, was quick to suggest that there was indeed no time for introspection.
If the three fixtures so far are anything to go by, it's the lack of patience and application that has ailed Zimbabwe. On two out of three occasions, they had a good enough foundation to challenge their superior opposition, but their failure to do so reflected the fact that perseverance isn't their strongest suit. The shorter format, thus, comes as one where they can try and play with renewed confidence levels.
That said, they will go up against a bunch of youngsters who may have been inexperienced in ODIs, but come into the T20I series with rich Indian Premier League experience. Yuzvendra Chahal has picked 20-plus wickets for two seasons in a row now, Jasprit Bumrah has been one of the finds of the tournament while Barinder Sran too showed his mettle across roles in a title-winning season in 2016. Among the batters too, KL Rahul has enhanced his reputation as a T20 player while Manish Pandey is one of the top-order batters that Zimbabwe need to be wary of.
In absolute contrast, Zimbabwe have the unwanted distinction of being the only full member of the International Cricket Council (ICC) to not have qualified for the Super 10 of the ICC World Twenty20 in India earlier this year. Afghanistan, who've been on the rise in recent years, piped the African nation to advance. The only bit of optimism comes from the fact that they managed to beat India and level the two-match T20I series at home last July.
When: June 18 at 01:00 PM Local Time, 04:30 PM IST
Where: Harare Sports Club, Harare
What to expect: A bright and sunny day in the offing with temperatures going up to 24 degrees celsius
Team News:
India: Sanjay Bangar, the head coach, suggested there will be an attempt to give opportunity to as many squad members as possible. Faiz Fazal, the only player in Indian squad who hasn't played IPL 2016, might make way for either Karun Nair or Mandeep Singh. Rishi Dhawan, who batted and bowled for a lengthy period in the nets, may also make the cut.
Zimbabwe: Among the five additions to the 18-man T20I squad, Chamu Chibhabha seems a sure starter on Saturday. Wellington Masakadza, the left-arm spinner who has patiently waited in the wings during the ODIs, could face competition from the uncapped Tapiwa Mufudza, the right-arm spinner, who has impressed with 15 wickets in 10 domestic T20s for the Mountaineers.
Did you know:
- Jasprit Bumrah has taken 48 wickets in T20s in 2016, second highest behind Andre Russell's 49. It is also the most by an Indian bowler in a calendar year in T20s.
- Hamilton Masakadza has scored seven fifties in losses in T20Is - the most by any. He ended up in the losing side 35 out of the 47 T20s he played.
- India and Zimbabwe last met in a T20I in 2015 in Harare. Six players remain for Zimbabwe and three for India from that match, in the current squad. Both sides will be lead by a different captain this time.
Who said what:
Sikandar Raza: I can certainly say that the energy will be much better tomorrow as we have a better captain (than me). He is more mature and has clearer thinking. Hopefully we'll even have a better performance tomorrow. We will charge behind our skipper and give it a good show because what is happening and what has happened in the three ODIs, we're all equally to blame and for us to win the hearts of the nation and the worldwide fans that are out there, I think it has to be tomorrow.
Sanjay Bangar: We're hoping to match our own expectations when it comes to T20. We're coming on the back of an IPL so that should hold us in good stead when we play this format.
Squads:
India: MS Dhoni, Lokesh Rahul, Faiz Fazal, Manish Pandey, Karun Nair, Ambati Rayudu, Rishi Dhawan, Axar Patel, Jayant Yadav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Jasprit Bumrah, Barinder Sran, Mandeep Singh, Kedar Jadhav, Jaydev Unadkat, Yuzvendra Chahal
Zimbabwe: Malcolm Waller, Graeme Cremer, Chamu Chibhabha, Tapiwa Mufudza, Neville Madziva, Hamilton Masakadza, Peter Moor, Richmond Mutumbami, Vusi Sibanda, Donald Tiripano, Tendai Chatara, Elton Chigumbura, Craig Ervine, Timycen Maruma, Wellington Masakadza, Tawanda Mupariwa, Taurai Muzarabani, Sikandar Raza, Tinotenda Mutombodzi