Zimbabwe vs India 2nd T20I, Predicted Playing XI: Battered India ...

Zimbabwe and India will lock horns in the second T20I of the five-match series on Sunday, July 7. India will be eager to bounce back after humiliating loss in the first game.

ZIM vs IND 2nd T20I, Predicted Playing XI: Battered India eager to fightback (AP Photo/Tsvangirayi Mukwazhi)

A young team India was handed a surprise defeat by Zimbabwe in the first T20I of the five-match series on Saturday, July 6 at Harare Sports Club, Harare. Chasing a low total of 116, the Men in Blue were bundled out for 102 in 19.5 overs with captain Shubman Gill being the top scorer with 31 (29).

After a humiliating loss, India don’t have much time to regroup as they will take the field in the second T20I on Sunday, July 7 at the same venue. The young Turks will be desperate to turn things around after tainting the crown of world champions handed over by the senior pros.

There are a lot of areas to improve with the bat for the young side as they failed to stitch small partnerships in the middle overs which eventually cost them the game. A total of three debutants featured for India in the first T20I namely Riyan Parag, Dhruv Jurel and Abhishek Sharma.

However, the trio had a game to forget with Sharma getting dismissed for a four-ball duck while Parag (2 off 3) and Jurel (6 off 14) got dismissed cheaply. Ravi Bishnoi shone with the ball registering figures of 4/13 in four overs. Despite being hammered in the first T20I, the team management is unlikely to make any changes in the playing XI and will look to give more chances to the underperforming youngsters.

On the other hand, Zimbabwe will be delighted with the clinical performances of their players which brought the world champions down to their knees. Captain Sikandar Raza was the star of the show as his all round show played a pivotal role in his team’s win. Raza scored 17 (19) and later picked up 3/25 dismissing his counterpart Shubman Gill, Ravi Bishnoi and Mukesh Kumar.

Hence, changes are unlikely to happen in both the teams for the upcoming clash as both sides won’t be willing to chop and change this early in the series.

India’s Predicted XI: Shubman Gill (c), Abhishek Sharma, Ruturaj Gaikwad, Riyan Parag, Rinku Singh, Dhruv Jurel (wk), Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar, Khaleel Ahmed

Zimbabwe’s Predicted XI: Wessly Madhevere, Innocent Kaia, Brian Bennett , Sikandar Raza (c), Dion Myers, Johnathan Campbell, Clive Madande (wk), Wellington Masakadza, Luke Jongwe, Blessing Muzarabani, Tendai Chatara