Unfancied Zimbabwe stun team India by 13 runs in first T20I

India's stutter began in first over itself, losing Abhishek Sharma, one of three T20I debutants along with Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel, for duck

An inexperienced yet spirited Zimbabwe pulled off an upset of massive proportions when they stunned an Indian team brimming with an array of Next-Gen stars by 13 runs in the first T20I of the five-match series here on Saturday.

India, who were recently crowned champions in the T20 World Cup albeit with a different set of players, were expected to trot past an unfancied Zimbabwe and the script followed that line when the hosts were restricted to 115 for nine.

But from there, Zimbabwe wrote their own narrative, reducing India to 28 for four in the Power Play and then eventually bowled them out for 102 in 19.5 overs. Pacer Tendai Chatara (3/16) and skipper Sikandar Raza (3/25) led the home side bowling with aplomb.

It was India’s first defeat in T20Is in 2024 and first against Zimbabwe in eight years.

India’s stutter began in the first over itself, losing Abhishek Sharma, one of three T20I debutants along with Riyan Parag and Dhruv Jurel, for duck.

Sharma’s almighty crossbatted heave off Brian Benett was caught easily by Wellington Masakadza in the outfield.

But what was perceived as an initial scratch soon turned into a deep gash as India kept losing wickets. Ruturaj Gaikwad (7) could not negate a slightly bouncier offering from pacer Blessing Muzarabani, edging it to Innocent Kaia at the floating first slip.