Rampant India vs Zimbabwe: Can the second team avoid a 2-0 deficit?

It's hard to imagine a poor side getting into the swing of things and it's that dismal feeling that Zimbabwe are about to experience as they leave for the second T20I of the series against India at Harare Sports Club. Following their abject defeat in the opening match of the series, and finding India strolling home with 40 balls to spare, Sikandar Raza's men are left with a serious struggle of 2-0 to qualify for a series. It's big moment for a team which has been showing some promise in recent favourites, including a respectable home series victory against Bangladesh; Zimbabwe must do something to address it now or they lose a potential period of excellence from their cricket record. Fans can enjoy this match using IPL Cricket ID and earn real cash rewards. 

Zimbabwe Team

For Zimbabwe, who had started the series opener with nothing but three wickets, the most critical issue is certainly their batting. A golden duck off the first ball of the first hour set the tone for a tough day and despite saving the innings with all their might with a 50-run partnership for the sixth wicket, Wessly Madhevere and Tadiwanshe Marumani failed to get them even with 125 for 7 at the finish line on what looked like a fine ground, on which a good batsman should have been at ease. But of course, none of them will know a repeat of those batting formations will work in the Zimbabwean Cricket Association's favor, as Captain Sikandar Raza – one of the most experienced and respected all-rounders in Zimbabwean cricket – will be aware.

But there's actually cause for excitement if Zimbabwe could change their batting strategy. Ryan Burl has proved to be a very versatile performer for both bat and ball, and if he could add another big shock on the scoreboard this second Test, it will help the side reach a level of performance that will enable him to retire more easily than he did last time. He'll be in similar need to capitalize his brief scoreline stint at the top of the order during the opener, and Ben Curran too will be looking to build a bigger innings for Zimbabwe. Richard Ngarava and Blessing Muzarabani still pose the most potent imposing threat for Zimbabwe with the ball and both will be vital to an Indian top order that featured the super-charged young Vaibhav Sooryavanshi and the Indian veteran Mayank Yadav, who played a major role in the series opener victory. But it's Newman Nyamhuri and Brad Evans that add the necessary width and strength and, ultimately, Raza's own ability to score could reinforce his leadership in the middle. 

India Team

With the wind flying their sails, India come to this second game with fresh legs as they wrapped up a seven-game wait for their first victory; a win driven by some outstanding individual performances from two players returning to the team for the first time. Fear of the white-clad Maidens, Maidavaibhav-Vaishnava-Vaibhav Sooryavanshi's convicting fifty – including an amazing score of 20 runs on a single over – as well as the player-of-the-match award for Mayank-Vaishnava-Yadav's stunner over his opening one with the bat which came with a 2 for 18, only meant the thumping reply was about to be delivered.

It will have boosted a team that had come into Zimbabwe with a huge burden on its shoulders after a string of defeats to Ireland and England in their previous series. Ishan Kishan who had come into the world in the middle order proved to be an addition of great speed, vice-captain Tilak Varma was in complete control and experienced Rinku Singh quickly returned to help the side who appeared confident and settled in the series opener. India was able to add a couple more options in the form of Ravi Bishnoi's ball and the highlight performances of both uncapped bowlers Ashok Sharma and Prince Yadav, who added a few more runs to the score as Zimbabwe struggled through their innings. 

Stadium Factor

The venue of the match and the whole series is Harare Sports Club and Zimbabwe's players play the day to day game at such a ground much more frequently than several players from India's touring team, which is through the four corners of the club so to speak. Zimbabwe would have hoped it would have helped them to dominate the problems, as it was their first game in the series upon which they had this first experience with the surface, but it did not. The pitch has provided experience a level playing field with bat and ball and would make for a pleasant environment in which to play as the game goes on, especially for the Zimbabwean side, who need to play a total that can go to bat and beat India's in-form top order, with some early help for seamers leading the way.

Conclusion

In fact, it is a testament to the fact that they dominated the initial match of the series and the effective depth play disparity remains between the two sides even after India's format woes this time around that pre-match projections remain heavily favouring India. Their home advantage and a pack of supporters keen for a response buoy them, but a resurgence of form in the next game of their epic defeat is a tough task.

India, with the confidence restored and overall depth being unmatched, this preview goes heavily in India's favor in the planning of a 2-0 series lead, and wrapping up the series with a match to spare. However, Zimbabwe's chance of maintaining the momentum in the series depends very much on the performance of the new-ball bowlers, Blessing Muzarabani and Richard Ngarava, who have picked up the pace since the opener in order to slow the Indian Tigers, and the new ball-bowling lineup will need to be complemented with disciplined new batters, such as Ben Curran and Sikandar Raza, to keep this one alive into a tempting decider in Harare.For more regular updates and to win real cash  you can use your Online Betting ID.