We are all set for the chase to begin. Brian Bennett is walking out with Ben Curran at the top for the home side. It will be the speedster Mayank Yadav to bowl the first over for India.
0.0
... The Run Chase ...
0.0
Word from one of the half-centurions - Tilak says batting in the middle overs was slightly challenging, but he feels the team posted a really good score of around 220. He and Shreyas Iyer believed anything around 200 is a strong total on this surface, but the score got even better thanks to the way Ishan Kishan batted. He admits that he enjoyed batting in the top order, but is always ready to play wherever the team needs him. In the middle overs, he focused on finding gaps and hitting the ball along the ground rather than taking unnecessary risks over the fielders, as he believed that approach helped him become a better finisher. He has always wanted to finish games, and that remains his goal. Since the Ireland and England series, he has been working with head coach Gautam Gambhir and now VVS Laxman on improving his ability to find gaps and score through the ground. He also used the one-week break after the England series to work hard on that aspect of his game and is pleased to see those efforts paying off.
0.0
A late fightback from the hosts - Despite staring down a massive Indian onslaught, Zimbabwe's bowlers showed character to keep things significantly in check during the death overs. The hosts successfully curtailed the boundary flow in the dying stages of the innings, crucially dismissing a dangerous Kishan after he top-scored with a magnificent 81, while Varma remained unbeaten on 60. Zimbabwe's overall bowling performance remained rather hot and cold across the 20 overs. While frontline quick Blessing Muzarabani and youngster Newman Nyamhuri bowled with a bit of control, the rest of the attack suffered heavily, with every other bowler leaking runs at a costly economy rate of over and around 11 per over.
0.0
The twin partnerships that anchored India - Following the explosive opening burst, the primary platform for India's imposing total was built on two middle-order partnerships anchored brilliantly by Ishan Kishan. The wicketkeeper-batter first steadied the ship alongside skipper Shreyas Iyer, combining for a fluent 66-run stand that halted the dodgy start. Once Iyer departed, Kishan shifted gears seamlessly alongside Tilak Varma, with the dynamic duo slaughtering the Zimbabwean bowling attack during an extensive 94-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
0.0
An early low and the teenage firestorm - After being asked to bat first, India posted a formidable 219 for 5 on a Harare deck that is holding up a shade and offering a gripping challenge to the batters. The innings got off to a bumpy start as dynamic opener Abhishek Sharma endured another disappointing outing, departing early for just 8 runs off 8 balls. However, his young opening partner Vaibhav Sooryavanshi refused to back down, unleashing his trademark aggressive brand of cricket. The teenage sensation truly lived and died by the sword, smoking Richard Ngarava for 18 blistering runs in a single over before the left-arm pacer ultimately exacted his revenge by capturing his wicket.
19.6
Superman effort, and Ryan Burl saves four runs for his side! Brad Evans pitches it up, on off. Shivam Dube stays deep inside his crease and lofts it over the bowler's head. It looks to be going over the ropes for all money but Ryan Burl has other ideas. He moves to his right from long on, grabs the ball above his head while being in mid-air. He lands inside but flicks the ball back before going over the ropes. However, he throws it a bit too wide of Ben Curran, who came in from long off to help him out. Two taken. The replay confirms that Burl has done a fine job here. India finish on 219/5!
19.5
Hard length and around off, Shivam Dube backs away and swats it down the pitch. A precious dot!
19.4
FOUR! Good effort but goes in vain! Fuller one and around off, Shivam Dube drills it away through covers firmly. Brian Bennett from deep point runs a long way to his left and dives to push the ball back inside. Three runs taken. However, the replay shows that Bennett touches the ropes while in contact with the ball and it will be a boundary.
0.0
Shivam Dube walks out at 7.
19.3
OUT! CAUGHT! A top catch near the ropes. Brad Evans misses his yorker and serves a low full toss, around off. Rinku Singh steps across and tries to mow it down the ground but does not get it from the middle of the bat. It flies in the air towards long on, where Ryan Burl settles under it and takes a fine catch. He does well to keep his balance on one leg and not go over the ropes. India are 213/5, with three balls to go in the innings.
19.2
Nails the yorker again, on middle, Tilak Varma jams it out towards extra cover for a single.
19.1
A good wide yorker, outside off. Tilak Varma reaches out for it and squeezes it out off the bottom edge towards long off for a brace.
0.0
Brad Evans to bowl the final over of the Indian innings.
18.6
Change of pace, hits the length hard, on middle and leg. Rinku Singh goes through his heave a bit early and misses to get hit on the pads.
18.5
SIX! Rinku Singh joins the party now! Blessing Muzarabani tries the bumper but bowls this down the leg side. Rinku gets inside the line of it and just helps it on its way over the fine leg fence for half a dozen more.
18.4
Short of a length and outside off, Tilak Varma cuts it to deep point for a run.
18.3
SIX! Connects his time, alright! Blessing Muzarabani misses the yorker and bowls a full delivery, on middle, in the slot as well. Tilak Varma presents the full face of the bat and dispatches it over the long off fence for a biggie. 200 UP FOR INDIA!
18.2
Bangs this into the pitch, on the leg stump line, gets some extra bounce. Tilak Varma tries to make room and cut it away but fails to connect.
18.1
Follows the batter, lands this back of a length and around leg. Rinku Singh backs away but does not have much room and runs it down to deep third for a single.
0.0
An excellent boundary-less over from Newman Nyamhuri. Blessing Muzarabani (3-0-22-1) to bowl out.
17.7
Overthrows! This is right in the blockhole, on off, Tilak Varma steps across to work it away but misses as the ball goes off his pads to the leg side. A leg bye is taken. The fielder from square leg gets to the ball and has an unnecessary throw at the bowler's end and gives away an extra run.
17.6
Touch fuller and on middle, Rinku Singh knocks it to the mid on region for one.
17.5
Good length and on the pads, Rinku Singh clips it with soft hands through mid-wicket and comes back for the second run again.
17.4
Slower one, full and on leg, Rinku Singh tucks it through mid-wicket for a brace.
17.3
On a length and on middle, Rinku Singh pats it down the pitch.
0.0
Can Ishan Kishan get to his century?
17.2
OUT! TAKEN IN THE DEEP! Something to smile about for Zimbabwe as they finally break this fiery stand. Newman Nyamhuri serves this full but keeps it away from the batter, outside off. Ishan Kishan tries to reach out for it but ends up slicing across it. It flies towards sweeper cover, where Brian Bennett runs forward and dives to take a fantastic catch. End of an excellent knock from Kishan. India are 189/4 now. Also, Rinku Singh is the next batter in.
17.1
WIDE! Newman Nyamhuri errs in line and bowls this on a hard length but way outside off, Ishan Kishan lets it go. Wided.
0.0
Last 3 overs to go and at 188 for 3 with firepower still to come, India will be aiming for something around 230 plus.
One more to go - And that is a wrap from this one, with India sealing the series with a game to spare. They will now look to complete a clean sweep, while Zimbabwe will be playing for pride and hoping to finish the series on a high. There is hardly any time to catch a breath, with the third and final T20I coming up in less than 24 hours. The action is scheduled for Sunday, July 26, getting underway at 11 AM GMT (4.30 PM IST). But you know you can join us early for all the build-up to the final game. Until then, cheers and goodbye!
0.0
Important to be fearless - The victorious skipper of India, Shreyas Iyer, says that he is feeling exultant after a comprehensive win and praises the brilliant contribution from each and every player. He highlights the way Ishan and Tilak batted, adding that the team felt 180-200 was a par score, with 220 proving to be the icing on the cake. With the ball, he says they executed their lines and lengths precisely, and bowling Zimbabwe out for just under 130 tells you the story. Iyer stresses the importance of being fearless, not dwelling too much on past performances, staying in the present and maximising every opportunity. With Prince Yadav picking up an injury, he hints that India could make a couple of changes for the final T20I, adding that tomorrow is a new day.
0.0
PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Ishan Kishan wins the award for his fantastic knock of 81 off 44. He says that when you get runs for your team, you end up putting up a good total. He adds that he didn’t feel the wicket was one where you could just go and score runs because there was odd bounce on a few deliveries, so they felt partnerships were needed. Kishan notes the approach was to not think about wickets, leave the past behind, and just see which bowlers they could target. Kishan also says he is very happy to see Mayank, Yash and Prince, adding that they all have great stories behind their success and it’s good to have them around. Kishan explains the missed run-out opportunity, saying he thought the batter had already reached the crease, which made him just throw the ball, but he later realised that he had a lot of time to just take the bails off.
0.0
Plenty of lessons to take from the game - The captain of Zimbabwe, Sikandar Raza, says his bowlers performed well in patches and gives credit to India for some of the quality shots and skill they displayed. He admits that the fielding could have been better, while praising Ishan for his consistency and acknowledging that he is going through a good run of form. Raza also feels there were plenty of lessons to take from the game and hopes the team could use them to improve. On a personal note, the captain admits that he has been letting the team down with the bat and vowed to do his best in the final game.
0.0
Presentation Time...
0.0
Bowlers seal a dominant win - India will be extremely pleased with their bowling effort, as they were spot on throughout, while the fielding was also much sharper after proving to be a weakness in recent times. Debutant Yash Thakur started proceedings with the first wicket, and India never looked back from there, picking up wickets at regular intervals. With plenty of runs to defend, they were also able to experiment, with Prince Yadav continuing his good form by picking up a couple of wickets before walking off with a hamstring issue. Ravi Bishnoi bowled an excellent spell of 1/20, while Tilak Varma also chipped in with a wicket and Yash added another to his tally. It was Abhishek Sharma who wrapped things up in style with a 3/17 to seal a dominant victory for India.
0.0
A quick chat with the debutant - Yash Thakur says he is really grateful for the opportunity to play and for his family, who have always supported him, and he is just happy to be here playing for India. On countering Bennett’s scoop shots, he notes it was a good wicket to bat on, but he and Shreyas bhai had discussed their plans and the slower balls were sticking in the surface. Talking about preparation coming into the series, he adds that he was in Sri Lanka last month, where he played both the one-day matches and the day game, and he keeps his plans ready for both red-ball and white-ball cricket. When asked which format he prefers, he says he has no preference and just wants to play cricket.
0.0
India pile on the runs - India posted a huge total on the board earlier in the game, powered by a swashbuckling 81 off 44 from their star batter, while Tilak Varma added an unbeaten 60 off just 29 balls. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also provided a brisk start with a few lusty blows, before skipper Iyer chipped in with valuable runs in the middle overs. It was a tough outing for the Zimbabwe bowlers, with everyone except Sikandar Raza getting among the wickets, but they proved expensive as well, with only Blessing Muzarabani and Newman Nyamhuri managing to concede fewer than 10 runs an over.
0.0
Zimbabwe's chase falls apart - Zimbabwe's chase never really got going after Brian Bennett's dismissal, with the opener looking in good touch at the top. Losing three wickets inside the Powerplay only made matters worse, before Raza's dismissal for a duck left the hosts firmly on the back foot. Apart from Bennett, only Ryan Burl, Tadiwanashe Marumani and Brad Evans managed to score more than 15, while six batters scored in single digits. Chasing over 200, that was never going to be enough, as Zimbabwe eventually fell short by a massive 90 runs.
0.0
Iyer's first series win - If domination has a definition, this game could be the perfect example, as India completely dismantled Zimbabwe in the second T20I to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. It is also a first T20I series win for new skipper Shreyas Iyer, who will be feeling a lot more relieved after a disappointing UK tour. Zimbabwe simply never turned up, finding themselves behind the eight ball from the very first ball, and now have just one game left to play for pride and give their home fans something to cheer about.
17.5
Richard Ngarava c Rinku Singh b Abhishek Sharma 1 (8)
OUT! CAUGHT! India win by 90 runs. Abhishek Sharma drags his length back a bit and bowls this on a fuller length, wide of off, Richard Ngarava shimmies down the track and slogs at it but gets more height than distance on this one. The ball goes straight into the hands of Rinku Singh at the long on fence for a simple take.
17.4
Full and on the pads, Blessing Muzarabani milks this through mid on for one.
17.3
FOUR! Time for some fun for the lower-order batter. Fuller around middle and off, Blessing Muzarabani smashes this down the ground past the right of the bowler for a boundary in front of the sight screen.
17.2
Fired around off, Richard Ngarava drills this down to long on for one.
17.1
Floated around the pads, Blessing Muzarabani pushes this to long off for a single.
16.6
Back of a length, around off, Richard Ngarava clears his front foot and slogs wildly at it but misses out.
16.5
Good length, around off, Richard Ngarava pushes this to covers.
16.4
On a length, around the pads, Blessing Muzarabani flicks this to the left of the deep squar eleg fielder for one.
16.3
Short and around off, Blessing Muzarabani goes for the pull but misses.
16.2
Yorker, on middle and leg, Blessing Muzarabani keeps it out.
0.0
Blessing Muzarabani is the last man in.
16.1
Tadiwanashe Marumani b Yash Thakur 24 (19)
OUT! TIMBER! Yash Thakur comes into the attack and removes Tadiwanashe Marumani from the middle. On a length, straight one, in the line of the stumps. Tadiwanashe Marumani clears his front foot and looks to go big over deep mid-wicket but misses and gets his stumps broken.
0.0
Yash Thakur is back on.
15.6
TWO BYES! Tossed up, around off, spinning into the batter. Richard Ngarava swings and misses. The ball goes past the keeper as well and the batters take two extras.
15.5
Full and on the pads, Richard Ngarava punches this to short mid-wicket.
15.4
Quicker one, around off, Richard Ngarava pushes this to the left of the bowler.
15.3
Almost the third for AS. Fuller, wide of off, Richard Ngarava chips this off the bottom of his bat towards the right of the bowler. Abhishek Sharma plucks out his right hand but fails to close his grasp just in time.
0.0
Into the tail now. Richard Ngarava walks out to bat.
15.2
Newman Nyamhuri b Abhishek Sharma 3 (6)
OUT! TIMBER! Abhishek Sharma breaks the furniture. Yorker, on middle and off, Newman Nyamhuri is late in bringing his bat down from a high backlift and the ball sneaks past the outside edge of his bat and goes on to break the stumps. Zimbabwe are 119 for 8.
15.1
Full and wide fo off, Tadiwanashe Marumani drives this through mid off for a single.
ZIM
We are all set for the chase to begin. Brian Bennett is walking out with Ben Curran at the top for the home side. It will be the speedster Mayank Yadav to bowl the first over for India.
... The Run Chase ...
Word from one of the half-centurions - Tilak says batting in the middle overs was slightly challenging, but he feels the team posted a really good score of around 220. He and Shreyas Iyer believed anything around 200 is a strong total on this surface, but the score got even better thanks to the way Ishan Kishan batted. He admits that he enjoyed batting in the top order, but is always ready to play wherever the team needs him. In the middle overs, he focused on finding gaps and hitting the ball along the ground rather than taking unnecessary risks over the fielders, as he believed that approach helped him become a better finisher. He has always wanted to finish games, and that remains his goal. Since the Ireland and England series, he has been working with head coach Gautam Gambhir and now VVS Laxman on improving his ability to find gaps and score through the ground. He also used the one-week break after the England series to work hard on that aspect of his game and is pleased to see those efforts paying off.
A late fightback from the hosts - Despite staring down a massive Indian onslaught, Zimbabwe's bowlers showed character to keep things significantly in check during the death overs. The hosts successfully curtailed the boundary flow in the dying stages of the innings, crucially dismissing a dangerous Kishan after he top-scored with a magnificent 81, while Varma remained unbeaten on 60. Zimbabwe's overall bowling performance remained rather hot and cold across the 20 overs. While frontline quick Blessing Muzarabani and youngster Newman Nyamhuri bowled with a bit of control, the rest of the attack suffered heavily, with every other bowler leaking runs at a costly economy rate of over and around 11 per over.
The twin partnerships that anchored India - Following the explosive opening burst, the primary platform for India's imposing total was built on two middle-order partnerships anchored brilliantly by Ishan Kishan. The wicketkeeper-batter first steadied the ship alongside skipper Shreyas Iyer, combining for a fluent 66-run stand that halted the dodgy start. Once Iyer departed, Kishan shifted gears seamlessly alongside Tilak Varma, with the dynamic duo slaughtering the Zimbabwean bowling attack during an extensive 94-run partnership for the fourth wicket.
An early low and the teenage firestorm - After being asked to bat first, India posted a formidable 219 for 5 on a Harare deck that is holding up a shade and offering a gripping challenge to the batters. The innings got off to a bumpy start as dynamic opener Abhishek Sharma endured another disappointing outing, departing early for just 8 runs off 8 balls. However, his young opening partner Vaibhav Sooryavanshi refused to back down, unleashing his trademark aggressive brand of cricket. The teenage sensation truly lived and died by the sword, smoking Richard Ngarava for 18 blistering runs in a single over before the left-arm pacer ultimately exacted his revenge by capturing his wicket.
Superman effort, and Ryan Burl saves four runs for his side! Brad Evans pitches it up, on off. Shivam Dube stays deep inside his crease and lofts it over the bowler's head. It looks to be going over the ropes for all money but Ryan Burl has other ideas. He moves to his right from long on, grabs the ball above his head while being in mid-air. He lands inside but flicks the ball back before going over the ropes. However, he throws it a bit too wide of Ben Curran, who came in from long off to help him out. Two taken. The replay confirms that Burl has done a fine job here. India finish on 219/5!
Hard length and around off, Shivam Dube backs away and swats it down the pitch. A precious dot!
FOUR! Good effort but goes in vain! Fuller one and around off, Shivam Dube drills it away through covers firmly. Brian Bennett from deep point runs a long way to his left and dives to push the ball back inside. Three runs taken. However, the replay shows that Bennett touches the ropes while in contact with the ball and it will be a boundary.
Shivam Dube walks out at 7.
OUT! CAUGHT! A top catch near the ropes. Brad Evans misses his yorker and serves a low full toss, around off. Rinku Singh steps across and tries to mow it down the ground but does not get it from the middle of the bat. It flies in the air towards long on, where Ryan Burl settles under it and takes a fine catch. He does well to keep his balance on one leg and not go over the ropes. India are 213/5, with three balls to go in the innings.
Nails the yorker again, on middle, Tilak Varma jams it out towards extra cover for a single.
A good wide yorker, outside off. Tilak Varma reaches out for it and squeezes it out off the bottom edge towards long off for a brace.
Brad Evans to bowl the final over of the Indian innings.
Change of pace, hits the length hard, on middle and leg. Rinku Singh goes through his heave a bit early and misses to get hit on the pads.
SIX! Rinku Singh joins the party now! Blessing Muzarabani tries the bumper but bowls this down the leg side. Rinku gets inside the line of it and just helps it on its way over the fine leg fence for half a dozen more.
Short of a length and outside off, Tilak Varma cuts it to deep point for a run.
SIX! Connects his time, alright! Blessing Muzarabani misses the yorker and bowls a full delivery, on middle, in the slot as well. Tilak Varma presents the full face of the bat and dispatches it over the long off fence for a biggie. 200 UP FOR INDIA!
Bangs this into the pitch, on the leg stump line, gets some extra bounce. Tilak Varma tries to make room and cut it away but fails to connect.
Follows the batter, lands this back of a length and around leg. Rinku Singh backs away but does not have much room and runs it down to deep third for a single.
An excellent boundary-less over from Newman Nyamhuri. Blessing Muzarabani (3-0-22-1) to bowl out.
Overthrows! This is right in the blockhole, on off, Tilak Varma steps across to work it away but misses as the ball goes off his pads to the leg side. A leg bye is taken. The fielder from square leg gets to the ball and has an unnecessary throw at the bowler's end and gives away an extra run.
Touch fuller and on middle, Rinku Singh knocks it to the mid on region for one.
Good length and on the pads, Rinku Singh clips it with soft hands through mid-wicket and comes back for the second run again.
Slower one, full and on leg, Rinku Singh tucks it through mid-wicket for a brace.
On a length and on middle, Rinku Singh pats it down the pitch.
Can Ishan Kishan get to his century?
OUT! TAKEN IN THE DEEP! Something to smile about for Zimbabwe as they finally break this fiery stand. Newman Nyamhuri serves this full but keeps it away from the batter, outside off. Ishan Kishan tries to reach out for it but ends up slicing across it. It flies towards sweeper cover, where Brian Bennett runs forward and dives to take a fantastic catch. End of an excellent knock from Kishan. India are 189/4 now. Also, Rinku Singh is the next batter in.
WIDE! Newman Nyamhuri errs in line and bowls this on a hard length but way outside off, Ishan Kishan lets it go. Wided.
Last 3 overs to go and at 188 for 3 with firepower still to come, India will be aiming for something around 230 plus.
One more to go - And that is a wrap from this one, with India sealing the series with a game to spare. They will now look to complete a clean sweep, while Zimbabwe will be playing for pride and hoping to finish the series on a high. There is hardly any time to catch a breath, with the third and final T20I coming up in less than 24 hours. The action is scheduled for Sunday, July 26, getting underway at 11 AM GMT (4.30 PM IST). But you know you can join us early for all the build-up to the final game. Until then, cheers and goodbye!
Important to be fearless - The victorious skipper of India, Shreyas Iyer, says that he is feeling exultant after a comprehensive win and praises the brilliant contribution from each and every player. He highlights the way Ishan and Tilak batted, adding that the team felt 180-200 was a par score, with 220 proving to be the icing on the cake. With the ball, he says they executed their lines and lengths precisely, and bowling Zimbabwe out for just under 130 tells you the story. Iyer stresses the importance of being fearless, not dwelling too much on past performances, staying in the present and maximising every opportunity. With Prince Yadav picking up an injury, he hints that India could make a couple of changes for the final T20I, adding that tomorrow is a new day.
PLAYER OF THE MATCH - Ishan Kishan wins the award for his fantastic knock of 81 off 44. He says that when you get runs for your team, you end up putting up a good total. He adds that he didn’t feel the wicket was one where you could just go and score runs because there was odd bounce on a few deliveries, so they felt partnerships were needed. Kishan notes the approach was to not think about wickets, leave the past behind, and just see which bowlers they could target. Kishan also says he is very happy to see Mayank, Yash and Prince, adding that they all have great stories behind their success and it’s good to have them around. Kishan explains the missed run-out opportunity, saying he thought the batter had already reached the crease, which made him just throw the ball, but he later realised that he had a lot of time to just take the bails off.
Plenty of lessons to take from the game - The captain of Zimbabwe, Sikandar Raza, says his bowlers performed well in patches and gives credit to India for some of the quality shots and skill they displayed. He admits that the fielding could have been better, while praising Ishan for his consistency and acknowledging that he is going through a good run of form. Raza also feels there were plenty of lessons to take from the game and hopes the team could use them to improve. On a personal note, the captain admits that he has been letting the team down with the bat and vowed to do his best in the final game.
Presentation Time...
Bowlers seal a dominant win - India will be extremely pleased with their bowling effort, as they were spot on throughout, while the fielding was also much sharper after proving to be a weakness in recent times. Debutant Yash Thakur started proceedings with the first wicket, and India never looked back from there, picking up wickets at regular intervals. With plenty of runs to defend, they were also able to experiment, with Prince Yadav continuing his good form by picking up a couple of wickets before walking off with a hamstring issue. Ravi Bishnoi bowled an excellent spell of 1/20, while Tilak Varma also chipped in with a wicket and Yash added another to his tally. It was Abhishek Sharma who wrapped things up in style with a 3/17 to seal a dominant victory for India.
A quick chat with the debutant - Yash Thakur says he is really grateful for the opportunity to play and for his family, who have always supported him, and he is just happy to be here playing for India. On countering Bennett’s scoop shots, he notes it was a good wicket to bat on, but he and Shreyas bhai had discussed their plans and the slower balls were sticking in the surface. Talking about preparation coming into the series, he adds that he was in Sri Lanka last month, where he played both the one-day matches and the day game, and he keeps his plans ready for both red-ball and white-ball cricket. When asked which format he prefers, he says he has no preference and just wants to play cricket.
India pile on the runs - India posted a huge total on the board earlier in the game, powered by a swashbuckling 81 off 44 from their star batter, while Tilak Varma added an unbeaten 60 off just 29 balls. Vaibhav Sooryavanshi also provided a brisk start with a few lusty blows, before skipper Iyer chipped in with valuable runs in the middle overs. It was a tough outing for the Zimbabwe bowlers, with everyone except Sikandar Raza getting among the wickets, but they proved expensive as well, with only Blessing Muzarabani and Newman Nyamhuri managing to concede fewer than 10 runs an over.
Zimbabwe's chase falls apart - Zimbabwe's chase never really got going after Brian Bennett's dismissal, with the opener looking in good touch at the top. Losing three wickets inside the Powerplay only made matters worse, before Raza's dismissal for a duck left the hosts firmly on the back foot. Apart from Bennett, only Ryan Burl, Tadiwanashe Marumani and Brad Evans managed to score more than 15, while six batters scored in single digits. Chasing over 200, that was never going to be enough, as Zimbabwe eventually fell short by a massive 90 runs.
Iyer's first series win - If domination has a definition, this game could be the perfect example, as India completely dismantled Zimbabwe in the second T20I to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. It is also a first T20I series win for new skipper Shreyas Iyer, who will be feeling a lot more relieved after a disappointing UK tour. Zimbabwe simply never turned up, finding themselves behind the eight ball from the very first ball, and now have just one game left to play for pride and give their home fans something to cheer about.
OUT! CAUGHT! India win by 90 runs. Abhishek Sharma drags his length back a bit and bowls this on a fuller length, wide of off, Richard Ngarava shimmies down the track and slogs at it but gets more height than distance on this one. The ball goes straight into the hands of Rinku Singh at the long on fence for a simple take.
Full and on the pads, Blessing Muzarabani milks this through mid on for one.
FOUR! Time for some fun for the lower-order batter. Fuller around middle and off, Blessing Muzarabani smashes this down the ground past the right of the bowler for a boundary in front of the sight screen.
Fired around off, Richard Ngarava drills this down to long on for one.
Floated around the pads, Blessing Muzarabani pushes this to long off for a single.
Back of a length, around off, Richard Ngarava clears his front foot and slogs wildly at it but misses out.
Good length, around off, Richard Ngarava pushes this to covers.
On a length, around the pads, Blessing Muzarabani flicks this to the left of the deep squar eleg fielder for one.
Short and around off, Blessing Muzarabani goes for the pull but misses.
Yorker, on middle and leg, Blessing Muzarabani keeps it out.
Blessing Muzarabani is the last man in.
OUT! TIMBER! Yash Thakur comes into the attack and removes Tadiwanashe Marumani from the middle. On a length, straight one, in the line of the stumps. Tadiwanashe Marumani clears his front foot and looks to go big over deep mid-wicket but misses and gets his stumps broken.
Yash Thakur is back on.
TWO BYES! Tossed up, around off, spinning into the batter. Richard Ngarava swings and misses. The ball goes past the keeper as well and the batters take two extras.
Full and on the pads, Richard Ngarava punches this to short mid-wicket.
Quicker one, around off, Richard Ngarava pushes this to the left of the bowler.
Almost the third for AS. Fuller, wide of off, Richard Ngarava chips this off the bottom of his bat towards the right of the bowler. Abhishek Sharma plucks out his right hand but fails to close his grasp just in time.
Into the tail now. Richard Ngarava walks out to bat.
OUT! TIMBER! Abhishek Sharma breaks the furniture. Yorker, on middle and off, Newman Nyamhuri is late in bringing his bat down from a high backlift and the ball sneaks past the outside edge of his bat and goes on to break the stumps. Zimbabwe are 119 for 8.
Full and wide fo off, Tadiwanashe Marumani drives this through mid off for a single.