IND vs ZIM, 1st T20: India win toss, opt to bowl first

Harare: Indian skipper Mahendra singh Dhoni won the toss and elected to field in the first T20 of the three-match series at the Harare Sports Club here on Saturday.

The five debutants for India are: Rishi Dhawan, Mandeep Singh, Jaydev Unadkat, KL Rahul, Yuzvendra Chahal.

After playing two full month of IPL, team India will have plenty of experience to back upon three match T20 series starts from Saturday.

After inflicting a 3-0 ODI series whitewash on the hosts, the young Indian side will look to pull off an encore in the shortest format of the game and end the tour with a perfect record.

The ODI series was thoroughly dominated by the young Indians some of whom made their international debut. Opening batsman Lokesh Rahul, who was adjudged the Man of the Series along with Faiz Faisal, made the most of the opportunity to take the team to a comfortable victory against a hapless Zimbabwe side while leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal starred with the ball.

But ahead of the T20I series, the hosts will take some encouragement from past results agaist India. In 2015, the Ajinkya Rahane-led India were held to a 1-1 draw in the T20I series after they lost the second match. Kedar Jhadhav and Manish Pandey, who are also on the tour this time around, will be well aware of the past results.

Nair got to play in the first two ODIs, scoring 39 in the second game after failing in the first, but Fazal impressed in his first outing in international arena, scoring maiden half-century which came in a winning cause.

Nair has been consistent for Indian Premier League (IPL) sides Rajasthan Royals and Delhi Daredevils, but Fazal hasn’t featured in the cash-rich league since 2011.

On the other hand, Zimbabwe, after surrendering to a dominant India in the ODI series, will aim to give it all and put up some fight in the shortest format of the game and upset the visitors.

But the hosts suffered a blow when senior players Sean Williams and Craig Ervine were ruled out after suffering injuries during the ODIs.

Ervine injured his hamstring in the first ODI, while Williams, who replaced him for the second game, fractured his finger at training soon after the toss.

Tendai Chisoro and Tawanda Mupariwa, who were part of the ODI squad, have been left out, while the uncapped Tapiwa Mufudza earned a call-up.

Brian Chari and Tinotenda Mutombodzi, who last played an international game in late 2015, were also recalled, while Chamu Chibhabha, who last played T20Is in January, was picked following decent returns in the ODI series.

Among the notable omissions from the ICC World T20 squad, in which the Africans failed to qualify for the main round, are Tinashe Panyangara, out with a back injury, and Luke Jongwe.

Despite the loss in their last T20I outing in the country, the series is expected to be a smooth ride for second-ranked India against the No.12-ranked hosts.

Teams:

India (Playing XI): Lokesh Rahul, Mandeep Singh, Ambati Rayudu, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadhav, MS Dhoni(w/c), Axar Patel, Rishi Dhawan, Jasprit Bumrah, Jaydev Unadkat, Yuzvendra Chahal

Zimbabwe (Playing XI): Chamu Chibhabha, Hamilton Masakadza, Sikandar Raza, Malcolm Waller, Elton Chigumbura, Richmond Mutumbami(w), Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Graeme Cremer©, Neville Madziva, Taurai Muzarabani, Donald Tiripano