2nd T20I | Zimbabwe vs India | July 7, 2024

[sam_ahm]

Yeah at 1-1 the series is good. In fact I wanted 1 win in this series and that objective was achieved in the first match itself. So from here on anything else is a bonus for me against this Indian side.

Jaiswal will be coming in and that is a big boost for India. Zimbabwe need not get overwhelmed though, they just need to stick to the basics and do the right things... Whatever happens after that, happens.

[Googly]

Can’t complain really even by the margin of defeat. It’s India, a country where guys are holding a bat and playing a game who’s name currently escapes me as soon as they can walk basically. There’s a few big names in the side and the rest are solid IPL pros who might be the next superstars. Even their Z team would be world class. We’ve got our win for the series so that’s a result for old salamander.

Nobody’s chasing 235 so young Wessly can have a pass from me today; context of the match he had a solid knock. Bennett seems the real deal. Johnno rightly or wrongly will get the chop if Knackers’ papers are sorted. Jongwe showed why he’s useful, Myers can have a pass for now and Larry he’s doing okay.

These India games are exposure. We can expect to be thoroughly schooled. The Ireland test and a couple of the Shadystan games down in blues are more realistic wins to be targeting.

These 5th generation Indians are neither here nor there. They’re not a patch on the shady modest hijabis who only seem to come out when Shadystan tour.

The one guy who actually owns a betting pool was here, last here during the T10.
I asked him if he’d lost money after the first game. He was wandering around in a daze, I think he’d lost his shirt. There were some guys I know who’d put some money on a Zim win at 6:1

You’re already giving Madhevere a pass for a really poor innings. His inability to score in the beginning was the nail in the coffin from the outset for a highly unlikely run chase, but we weren’t even competitive. He then settled into a run a ball 40 and you’re excusing it?
I’d honestly have rather seen him go out playing some shots. He doesn’t look like he’s got a big shot at the moment. Same as Luke, no pressure, played a run a ball innings and will likely get another game despite his really poor bowling.
Low full tosses Tino kept saying. Try waist high long hops.

There are talented guys here that have hit just as many balls as the Indians. They don’t have the monopoly on fanatical practice.

I don’t see why Campbell should be giving way for Knackers. Campbell struggled but everyone did against the spin. He’s at least trying to hit the ball with some venom. I’d really like to see him get a couple of overs. Give Campbell and whoever else is new a run at it. We’ve seen Madhevere, Kaia, Jongwe, masakadza, Shumba etc for years. Give potentially better players the same opportunities. As soon as you swap out a guy after a shit game you’re breaking his mind before he starts, unless of course that’s the plan?

I was fairly sure Dion would struggle. This is the highest level of cricket and he’s been parachuted in without much T20 experience. I guess they sacrifice chickens and mumble incantations and just hope. But now he’s there give him a long go,

[mnelson68]

That's spot on Googly

[zimbos_05]

This is more like what I expected.

We definitely did not bat well in the 1st match, and perhaps India got a bit overzealous in chasing. A bit more composed from them. Don't undersatnd how we struggle so much against spin. It's clearly our weak point and we don't seem to have fixed it.

Still a good series and we have plenty we can build on. India showed how they respond, now it is up to us to show how we can do it.

[Pat_Bee]

Ya Wes can have a pass from me. As explained, I view this series as exposure, the best we’ll get is that single win probably. Wes personally has had a torrid couple of years, got into drugs and served out his ban, to come back and make a run a ball 40 against the world champions is good for him and his confidence. Sure run a ball at the top of the order is slow and he definitely needs to work on that strike rate, it’s runs though and that’s the currency he deals in as a batter. His run a ball 40 made the score more respectable than say Raza’s run a ball 4 did. There were other batters more deserving of some flack yesterday than Wes.

I wouldn’t chop Johnno for Knackers, consistency and a decent run is what any young batter needs. Can see ZC desperate to get Knackers in the side though and thoroughly expect them to blood him down the order.

[secretzimbo]

it's T20. A run-a-ball-40 is as good as completely useless, you are often better off getting out for a duck. Most teams around the world realise this, but still not Zimbabwe. And we wonder why our T20 batting is so shite.

Yesterday was Wes' 100th international fixture for Zimbabwe. He's a senior player, he doesn't need exposure - he needs results.

[Pat_Bee]

Ya, alright fine; Kaia, Myers, Raza, Johnno and Clive were phenomenal and it was Wes that cost us chop him.

[TapsC2]

I was actually thinking maybe Naqvi could replace Myers for the next game, not Campbell. I’m sure we are going to see lots of rotations, changing of batting positions etc. I thought it was too soon to put Myers straight in because he still needs to adjust to playing at this level consistently. Give Campbell another game then we see from there.

[mnelson68]

it's T20. A run-a-ball-40 is as good as completely useless, you are often better off getting out for a duck. Most teams around the world realise this, but still not Zimbabwe. And we wonder why our T20 batting is so shite.

Yesterday was Wes' 100th international fixture for Zimbabwe. He's a senior player, he doesn't need exposure - he needs results.

Wow I'm actually agreeing with this

[mnelson68]

Naqvi to replace Kaia