Zimbabwe vs India, 1st T20I: As it happened...

India suffered a humiliating 2-run defeat to Zimbabwe in the first match of the Twenty20 International series on Saturday at Harare. After making a clean sweep in the three-match One-Day International series, India started the obvious favourites. And until the last ball, India remained favourites despite four runs needing off the last ball, because MS Dhoni was on strike.

But 24-year-old pacer Neville Madziva probably bowled the over of his life, as he conceded only five runs in the last over, when Dhoni – regarded as the game's greatest finisher– was on strike.

After winning the toss, Dhoni opted to bowl even though records suggests that batting first was the Harare mantra. Zimbabwe got off to a good start with openers Chamu Chibhabha and Hamilton Masakadza posting 33 runs inside fifth over.

India fif apply the brakes in the middle, by taking wickets in regular intervals. But whirlwind 26-ball 54-run knock from Elton Chigumbura helped Zimbabwe post a challenging total of 170 runs.

Once again, it was Jasprit Bumrah who led India's attack. The pacer took two wickets, conceding 24 runs. Spinners Axar Patel and Yuzvendra Chahal bowled well by taking a wicket each, but the former was the pick of the lot as he conceded only 18 runs.

India's chase started in an ominous note, losing Lokesh Rahul first ball to Donald Tiripano. But, a 43-run second-wicket stand between Mandeep Singh and Ambati Rayudu helped India back in the match.

India kept losing wickets in the middle. Manish Pandey steadied the innings with his 48 from 35 balls. But it was not enough, as Zimbabwe reigned in Indian innings towards the end.

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INDIA INNINGS; TARGET 171

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Over 20 || Score 168/5 (Dhoni 19; Dhawan 1)

Neville Madziva on for the last over. A single to MS Dhoni off the first ball, then the wicket of Axar Patel. Caught at long-off.

WICKET: Axar Patel c sub (Wellington Masakadza) b Neville Madziva 18 (9b)

Yorker outside off, and Dhoni took a single off the next ball, giving strike to new man Rishi Dhawan. It was followed by a dot ball – even though Dhawan shuffled, moving right across, the ball past his swing.

A similar delivery followed, but the umpire reckoned it a wide. Tight call. A single off the next ball to leave Dhoni with the last ball and India needing four runs.

A single off the last ball. Madziva produced a match winning final over, leaking only five runs. His figures: 4-0-34-1.

And Zimbabwe defeated India by 2 runs.

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Over 19 || Score 163/5 (Dhoni 16; Patel 18)

And what an start to the penultimate over for India. MS Dhoni leant back and played a well executed pull shot for... only a single. Swing and miss from Axar Patel as equation got bigger for India.

Patel got lucky next ball though as a diving fielder at sweeper cover
 pushed the ball to rope. Four runs. A dot ball, and a mishit produced a double. The over ended with a straight six. 13 runs from the over, and most importantly Dhoni get the strike in last over.

Tiripano's figures: 4-0-35-1. In the previous over, Taurai Muzarabani ended his spell, for figures of 4-0-31-2.

India need eight runs to complete record chase in Harare.

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Over 18 || Score 150/5 (Dhoni 15; Patel 6)

Manish Pandey missed the chance to hit his first T20 International fifty, short by two runs. MS Dhoni took a single off the first ball, then Pandey lofted the next ball only to find Donald Tiripano at deep cover.

WICKET: Manish Pandey c Donald Tiripano b Taurai Muzarabani 48 (35b)

A single to Dhoni, then a dot ball to new man Axar Patel. But the next ball went for a six as Patel creamed the over-pitched delivery over long-on.

Eight runs and a wicket from the over. India need another 21 runs from the over.

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Over 17 || Score 142/4 (Pandey 48; Dhoni 13)

Busy over. Donald Tiripano returned for his third over. A single to MS Dhoni to start, and two doubles followed – thanks to brilliant running between the wickets.

And the Indian skipper needed some to time to tend to his out-of-shape thigh pads. No, he got new ones.

Play resumed with a wide, down the leg. A slowed delivery, and another wide. Tiripano responded with a dot ball, cramping Pandey. A single, which could have been a double after the misfield at fine leg, followed.

Then, another wide with three runs followed. A single to end the 12-run over.

India need another 29 runs from 18 balls.

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Over 16 || Score 130/4 (Pandey 44; Dhoni 11)

Neville Madziva returned for his third over. A single to Manish Pandey, and two wides followed, including a very late call from umpire.

A single, then Pandey hit a four through mid-wicket region. Another loose delivery which Pandey reached to for a single. Then a quick double. The over ended with a single. 12 runs from the over.

India need another 41 runs from 24 balls.

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Over 15 || Score 118/4 (Pandey 38; Dhoni 7)

Taurai Muzarabani on for his third over. A single, then a double, followed by another single. That's first three balls.

The fourth ball was gently guided into the gap between point and short third man, and MS Dhoni got his first four of the innings. Two singles to end the 10-run over.

India need another 53 runs from 30 balls.

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Over 14 || Score 108/4 (Pandey 34; Dhoni 1)

Skipper Graeme Cremer on for his third over and tit proved an expensive one for Zimbabwe. A dot ball to Manish Pandey to start the over, then a double. It was followed by back-to-back sixes.

A dot ball, then a double to make it a 16-run over. And while taking that double off the last ball, Pandey  and Dhoni almost collided in the centre.

India need another 63 runs from 36 balls.

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Over 13 || Score 92/4 (Pandey 18; Dhoni 1)

Bowling change for Zimbabwe. Taurai Muzarabani returned for his second, and the wicket. Bowled dangerous looking Kedar Yadhav.

WICKET: Kedar Jadhav b Taurai Muzarabani 19 (13b)

That happened off the second ball, and new man MS Dhoni took two balls to open his account with a single.

Brilliant over. Three singles and a wicket.

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Over 12 || Score 89/3 (Pandey 16; Yadhav 19)

Graeme Cremer on for his second over. Three singles off the first three balls, then a four – played sumptuously by Kedar Yadhav through cover. A single, then a wide. A single to end the 10-run over.

India need another 82 runs from 48 balls.

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Over 11 || Score 79/3 (Pandey 13; Yadhav 13)

Sikandar Raza on for his third over. A wide, then a single off the second legal delivery. But the third ball went for a six, huge one over long-on. Smashed by Kedar Yadhav.

Raza did well to restrict it to only ten runs. At this stage, Zimbabwe were 80/2. India need another 92 runs from 54 balls.

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Over 10 || Score 69/3 (Pandey 11; Yadhav 6)

Bowling change for Zimbabwe, and skipper Graeme Cremer on with his leg spin. A six, however, to start his spell as Manish Pandey took a calculated risk by lofting straight. It sailed over the rope.

A dot ball, then a single. Another single followed after a dot, then a single to end the nine-run over.

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Over 9 || Score 60/3 (Pandey 5; Yadhav 3)

Another good over for Zimbabwe. Five runs – a single and two doubles. Sikandar Raza, thus, brilliantly supported wicket taking Chamu Chibhabha.

India need another 111 runs from 11 overs, and just over 10 an over.

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Over 8 || Score 55/3 (Pandey 2; Yadhav 1)

Chamu Chibhabha continued with his second over. Unlike his first over – which went for five runs – a four to start the over. Mandeep Singhplay it behind square, and the pace of the ball beat the fielder in the deep.

A double, followed by a dot ball, then the wicket of Mandeep. Brilliant catch at long-off by Tinotenda Mutombodzi.

Wicket: Mandeep Singh c Tinotenda Mutombodzi b Chamu Chibhabha 31 (27b)

Kedar Yadhav is the new man. Eight runs and a wicket from the over.

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Over 7 || Score 47/2 (Mandeep 25; Pandey 1)

Bowling change for Zimbabwe, and Sikandar Raza just produced a brilliant over. The off spinner conceded three runs, all singles.

The asking rate for India has now crossed over 9 and over. India need another 124 runs from 13 overs.

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Over 6 || Score 44/2 (Mandeep 23; Pandey 0)

India lost their second wicket, in the form of Ambati Rayudu. Bowled by Chamu Chibhabha.

Wicket: Ambati Rayudu b Chamu Chibhabha 19 (16b)

That happened off the fifth ball, and the very next delivery, Madeep Singh survived a run-out call. He wanted to took a quick single after new man Manish Pandey played a defensive shot.

Early in the over, Mandeep hit a four off the second ball, past mid-off. Five runs and a wicket from the over.

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Over 5 || Score 39/1 (Mandeep 18; Rayudu 19)

First over for Taurai Muzarabani, and another productive over for India. 10 runs from it as Ambati Rayudu hit two fours, off the first and third deliveries.

India need another 132 runs from 15 overs.

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Over 4 || Score 29/1 (Mandeep 17; Rayudu 10)

Mandeep Singh survived a catch at long-on, by Taurai Muzarabani, and hit the next two balls for two fours.

That happened off the fourth ball. Neville Madziva unlucky not to have that wicket. The over went for 13 runs.

India need another 142 runs from 16 overs.

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Over 3 || Score 16/1 (Mandeep 5; Rayudu 10)

Donald Tiripano continued with his second over. A single to Ambati Rayudu, then two good balls – both producing oohs and aahs with ball hitting pads. But a single off the second ball, nonetheless.

After two dot balls, Rayudu took a quick single. And that's all from the over, only three singles.

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Over 2 || Score 13/1 (Mandeep 4; Rayudu 8)

Neville Madziva on for Zimbabwe. A wide to start the second over of the innings, and a dot ball later Mandeep Singh hit a four, his first.

Good over for Zimbabwe. Five runs only.

India need another 158 runs from 18 overs.

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Over 1 || Score 8/1 (Mandeep ; Rayudu 8)

What an start from Zimbabwe. Donald Tiripano removed Lokesh Rahul first ball, with the Indian opener playing on.

WICKET: Lokesh Rahul b Donald Tiripano 0 (1b)

New man Ambati Rayudu took three balls to open the account, with a four smashed over mid-on.

A dot ball followed, then Rayudu played a expansive cover drive, uppishly to make it an 8-run over.

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ZIMBABWE INNINGS

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Over 20 || Score 170/6 (Chigumbura 54; Madziva 5)

Jasprit Bumrah on for the last over. A single to Neville Madziva, then Elton Chigumbura hit the next ball for a six, his sixth, over long-off. No chance for the fielder on the rope.

Two singles, then Chigumbura  hit another six, over mid-wicket. And fifty for the right-handed batsman. He is only the second Zimbabwean player to hit a half-century against India.

A dot ball to end the 15-run over. Bumrah's figures: 4-1-25-2.

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Over 19 || Score 155/6 (Chigumbura 42; Madziva 3)

Elton Chigumbura took Jaydev Unadkat to the cleaners. A single to start Neville Madziva to start the over, then Chigumbura hit the next two balls for a four and six. He picked the second ball – a misdirected, loose delivery – and played it over mid-off fielder, then the next ball – over-pitched outside off – was dispatched over long-on.  New ball summoned.

A double of the next delivery, then a wide. Another six, this time over mid-wicket boundary. A dot ball to end the 21-run over.

Unadkat's figures: 4-0-43-0

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Over 18 || Score 134/6 (Chigumbura 24; Madziva 2)

Another wicket for India as Jasprit Bumrah returned for his third over. It started with the wicket of Zimababwean skipper Graeme Cremer. Caught at mid-off, by Rishi Dhawan.

WICKET: Graeme Cremer c Rishi Dhawan b Jasprit Bumrah 4 (5b)

Four runs, all singles, and a wicket.

The previous over, bowled by Yuzvendra Chahal resulted in 15 runs as Elton Elton Chigumbura hit two sixes – off the second and fifth balls.

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Over 16 || Score 115/5 (Chigumbura 9; Cremer 2)

Another brilliant over from India. Axar Patel started his last over with the wicket of Tinotenda Mutombodzi, caught at long-off by Rishi Dhawan.

WICKET: Tinotenda Mutombodzi c Rishi Dhawan b Axar Patel 3 (8b)

Patel's figures: 4-0-18-1.

Skipper Graeme Cremer is the new man.

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Over 15 || Score 111/4 (Mutombodzi 3; Chigumbura 7)

Good over for Zimbabwe after losing two wickets of successive overs. Elton Chigumbura hit the free-hit for a six. Yuzvendra Chahal leaked 11 runs in his third over.

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Over 14 || Score 100/4 (Mutombodzi 2; Chigumbura 1)

Awful running between the wickets from Sikandar Raza. First ball of Axar Patel's third over hit Tinotenda Mutombodzi on pads, and the ball went towards cover. And Raza took off for a single, only to see Axar hitting the wicket at non-striker's end.

WICKET: Sikandar Raza run out 20 (18b)

Mutombodzi took a single after another dot ball, then Elton Chigumbura took three balls to open his account. Two runs and a wicket from the over. And Zimbabwe also reached 100.

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Over 13 || Score 98/3 (Raza 20; Mutombodzi 1)

Adventurous shot from Malcolm Waller. The right-handed batsman smashed the tossed up delivery for a four over cover. Two singles, then the wicket. Trying to play smart, trying to run down the third man for easy runs, Waller got back on the back foot but ended up opening the defence and bowled.

WICKET: Malcom Waller b Chahal 30 (21b)

Tinotenda Mutombodzi is the new man. Seven runs and a wicket from the over.

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Over 12 || Score 91/2 (Raza 19; Waller 25)

Rishi Dhawan on for his final over. A single to Sikandar Raza, then Malcolm Waller hit the next ball for a four, over point. A wide, down the leg, followed. A dot ball, then another four as Waller's crunchy cut beat the fielder at point.

A single, and a dot ball to end the 11-run over. Dhawan's figures: 4-0-42-1.

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Over 11 || Score 80/2 (Raza 18; Waller 16)

Yuzvendra Chahal on for India. The leg-break spinner started with flighted delivery on off, and Malcolm Waller played towards cover for a single. A dot ball to Sikandar Raza, then two more singles. A single then a double as Waller played towards third man. Misfield from Axar Patel at point and it resulted into a double, to deep backward point.

Eight runs from the over.

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Over 10 || Score 72/2 (Raza 16; Waller 10)

Axar Patel continued with his second over. Good start. Two singles off two first alternate deliveries.

Malcolm Waller played uppish cut shot towards cover for a couple. A single to end the five-run over.

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Over 9 || Score 67/2 (Raza 15; Waller 6)

Rishi Dhawan on for his third over. A four, behind point, to start the over. Sikandar Raza did well to find the gap. Good shot. A dot ball, the a single.

Malcolm Waller blocked the next ball, before taking a single. Raza punished the length-ball for a four.

10 runs from the over.

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Over 8 || Score 57/2 (Raza 6; Waller 5)

Bowling change for India. Spin on, and Axar Patel got his first over.

A single to Sikandar Raza to start the spell, then a four thanks to a thick outside edge. Two more singles and seven runs from the over.

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Over 7 || Score 50/2 (Raza 2; Waller 0)

Rishi Dhawan on for second over. Three singles off the first three balls.  It was followed by a followed by a four through the cover with Chamu Chibhabha playing playing it beautifully.

In between, a huge mixed-up between the two Zimbabwean as they wanted a second off the third ball.

A double off the fifth ball, then a slower delivery from Dhawan uprooted Chibhabha's wickets. He tried to play a pull shot but the ball kept low and hit the target.

WICKET: Chamu Chibhabha b Rishi Dhawan 20 (19b)

That was Dhawan's fiftied T20 wicket. Malcolm Waller is the new man.

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Over 6 || Score 41/1 (Chibhabha 13; Raza 2)

Not a good sight. A Jaydev Unadkat delivery hit Richmond Mutumbami hit on the lower abdomen region and needed medical attention. After few minutes, he carried off the field.

Retired hurt.

New man Sikandar Raza took a single off the first ball he faced. It was followed by a couple of singles, before Chamu Chibhabha hit a four. A lofted straight drive.

Eight runs from the over.

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Over 5 || Score 33/1 (Chibhabha 7; Mutumbami 0)

Jasprit Bumrah continued with his second over and a wicket off the third ball. He managed to keep Hamilton Masakadza quiet with two dot balls, then forced the Zimbabwean to play a reckless shot off a slower delivery. Masakadza's scoop ended with an easy catch, behind the wickets, for skipper MS Dhoni.

Wicket: Hamilton Masakadza c MS Dhoni b Jasprit Bumrah 25 (15b)

Richmond Mutumbami is the new man. Maiden wicket from Bumrah.

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Over 4 || Score 33/0 (Chibhabha 7; Masakadza 25)

Jaydev Unadkat continued for his second over.

Hamilton Masakadza picked the fuller delivery well, and lofted high and mighty for his second six, over mid-off. A dot ball, then another six, this one pulled over backward square leg boundary. Unadkat, probably trying to intimidate the batsman, banged it short and paid the price.

A single, then a dot ball followed. Then, a swing and miss from Chamu Chibhabha. 13 runs from the over.

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Over 3 || Score 20/0 (Chibhabha 7; Masakadza 12)

Jasprit Bumrah on for India. A dot ball to start his spell, was hit for a four next ball by Chamu Chibhabha. The Zimbabwean came down the pitch and played a lofted straight drive.

It was followed by a fuller delivery on the off, for a dot. Another similar delivery, for another dot. A single off the fifth ball, then Hamilton Masakadza played a cover drive, which was fielded just outside the ring, for a single.

Six runs from the over.

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Over 2 || Score 14/0 (Chibhabha 2; Masakadza 11)

Rishi Dhawan shared the new ball with Jaydev Unadkat. A single to Hamilton Masakadza, then a six. The Zimbabwean opener played a good looking pull shot, and it sailed over mid-wicket boundary.

A dot ball, then a single followed. A single, then Masakadza played through the cover for a four. 12 runs from the over.

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Over 1 || Score 2/0 (Chibhabha 1; Masakadza 1)

Jaydev Unadkat started the proceedings with his left-arm medium pace bowling. Keeping it fuller, he has managed to keep Chamu Chibhabha quiet, and a risky single off the fourth ball. His opening partner Hamilton Masakadza was at the danger end. A direct hit from the square leg fielder would have spelled doom.

After a dot ball, Masakadza played a strange sort of shot, in fact a sweep shot, for a single.

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Toss and team news

ZIM XI: C Chibhabha, H Masakadza, S Raza, M Waller, E Chigumbura, R Mutumbami, T Mutombodzi, G Cremer, N Madziva, T Muzarabani, D Tiripano

IND XI: L Rahul, M Singh, A Rayudu, M Pandey, K Jadhav, MS Dhoni, A Patel, R Dhawan, J Bumrah, J Unadkat, Y Chahal

MS Dhoni have won the toss and elected to field first 

Five #T20I debuts for #TeamIndia #1stT20I #ZimvInd pic.twitter.com/b4rp13LmkP — BCCI (@BCCI) June 18, 2016

Welcome to our live cricket blog for the 1st T20I between Zimbabwe and India at Harare. Follow live score and all the latest updates as we bring you ball-by-ball coverage.

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New Delhi: After a convincing ODI series win, MS Dhoni and co would want to replicate the same in the three-match Twenty20 series against a listless Zimbabwe, starting here on Saturday.