After a heartbreaking four run loss to a weakened India side in the One Day International (ODI) series opener at Harare Sports Club on Friday, the Zimbabwe cricket team is desperate to restore parity and take the series into the decider as the two nations clash again at the same venue today. By Munyaradzi Madzokere
Zimbabwe was presented with a perfect chance to record their first ODI series win over the Asian cricket giants since February 1997, after India decided to send a second string side on tour, but the visitors crawled to the finish line to take a 1-0 lead.
The hosts’ skipper Elton Chigumbura whose valiant 104 not out knock two days ago was in vain, believes that his charges have a chance of bouncing back and grab today’s must-win encounter.
“Sunday’s [today] game is now the most important match for us and I think we definitely have a higher chance of getting even closer or to win that match. It’s just about correcting where we went wrong and we can do that in the next game,” he said in a press conference after the first ODI.
Chamu Chibhabha and Donald Tiripano both had starred with the ball, taking two wickets apiece as India set a gettable of 256 for Zimbabwe to chase but the batting department which has received a lot of praise of late, ran out of steam.
Chigumbura explained where he thought his charges lost the chase in which they needed 10 runs in the last over. “I think [with] the way we kept on losing wickets, we did not get the momentum that we needed. There was a time when we lost group wickets then we had to rebuild again, so we kept trying to build an inning or partnership to the end, where I ended up batting with a specialist bowler,” said Chigumbura.
Zimbabwe coach Dav Whatmore should be keen to retain his bowling attack led by Tinashe Panyangara and which also includes Brian Vitori, Chibhabha and Tiripana who restricted the Indians to 255 in the first match. At one time India were reeling at 87 for 5 but the Zimbabwe attack loosened later in the match as a flurry of runs in the last 15 overs from man of the match Ambati Rayudu and his partner Stuart Binny gave the visitors respectable total.
It is in the batting setup that Whatmore might be tempted to ring some changes as he guns for his first post-World Cup victory as Zimbabwe coach, with Regis Chakabva the only recognised batter on the bench as well as Malcom Waller serving as the available options.
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On the other hand, Indian star batsman Binny hailed good death bowling from his compatriot Bhuvneshwar Kumar as the difference between the two teams in the series opener.
“I think Kumar bowled an excellent over, at the end it’s not easy to defend 8 or 10 runs in the last over, his bowling was spot on and that’s what we have been practising before we came here, it was to improve our death bowling,” he said.
“In the next match we have to give the bowlers a lot of respect. I think if we can get the first 15 overs without losing a wicket or two, we will have the fire power to get 300 in the upcoming matches, that’s our target,” he added.
The two team play the final ODI on Tuesday before two T20s wrap up the Asians’ stay in the country.
