Match Details

IRE vs ZIM 1st T20, ZIM vs IRE 2023

ZIM

118-518.0

Zimbabwe won by 5 wickets 🏆

IRE

19.2114-10

Match info

Live

Scorecard

Session	Open	PASS
6 Over	40	34
10 Over	63	53
15 Over	89	89

Session	Open	PASS
6 Over	44	28
10 Over	53	45
15 Over	80	78
20 Over	101	114

Commentary

So, that's it from this cliffhanger in Harare. Both teams will square off for the second T20I on Saturday. Do join us for that game and for all other cricketing action across the globe. For now, this is me Tugral Azmi signing off on behalf of co-commentator Deepak Prakash and scorer/analyst Yogesh Kumar. Stay tuned for more cricketing action across the globe. Stay safe, and happy..!!!

Ryan Burl | Player of the Match: " Nice from the skip to give me a chance. I'm grateful he granted me four overs. There was plenty of pitch support. We would want to hold ourselves accountable. We would have loved to lose fewer wickets."

Craig Ervine (Zimbabwe Captain): "We were content to pursue 114. Most likely, the bat might have been used with more precision. We observed the Irish players bat. We could have collected more one- and two-digit numbers. We likely encountered a couple of too many dots. Burl was outstanding. I wasn't quite confident that it would work."

Andrew Balbirnie (Ireland Captain): "We had enough opportunities, but they eventually took them away. It would have been challenging to chase 130-140. However, we were unable to. We didn't bat well, but there wasn't enough turn. We only need to review the video from earlier."

It's time for the post-match presentations.

19.45 PM IST | Zimbabwe thumped Ireland by 5 wickets🎯 with 12 balls to spare. There was a minor hiccup when they started the chase, but largely they were in control of the game and dominated in all three aspects of the game.

After being invited to bat first, Ireland struggled to get going on a challenging pitch and against a strong Zimbabwe bowling attack. Gareth Delany was the top scorer for Ireland with 24 runs, but the rest of the batters struggled to make an impact and failed to capitalize on their innings. Ryan Burl was the pick of the bowlers for Zimbabwe, taking 3 wickets for just 29 runs in 4 overs. Tendai Chatara, Richard Ngarava, and Wellington Masakadza chipped a couple of wickets each.

Chasing a paltry 115 for the win, Zimbabwe much like Ireland lost early wickets in the powerplay as their opening pair were sent for single-digit scores inside the powerplay. They were 34/2 inside the first six overs, but from thereon it was the Wesley Madhevere – debutant Gary Ballance show. Former and Latter steadied the sinking ship with a nice 35-run stand for the third wicket. Tector uprooted the wicket of the former on the score of 16. Sean Williams along with Gary started building a partnership for the fourth wicket. Both played some brilliant strokes and kept finding the boundaries regularly. Adair broke the 28-run stand when he dismissed Gary Ballance on 30. Williams played an unbeaten knockoff of 34* and Clive Madande also contributed 18* not out as Zimbabwe chased down the 115-run target with ease, winning by 5 wickets with 12 balls to spare.

Harry Tector and Mark Adair were the only bowlers to take a couple of wickets and were ably supported by Barry McCarthy who took a solitary wicket a piece.

So, an easy win for Zimbabwe by 5 wickets to take a 1-0 lead in the 3-match T20I series. Stay tuned for the post-match presentation ceremony coming your way soon.

OVER 18

Zimbabwe

118/5

Clive Madande

18(10)

Sean Williams

34(30)

Gareth Delany

0-34(4.0)

17.6 G Delany to C Madande

4 FOUR!!! Madande finishes the game with a boundary!!!! Length ball on the off and Madande stands tall and hoicks it over the short mid-wicket for a boundary to end the game. Zimbabwe won by 5 wickets and lead the three-match series by 1-0.

17.5 G Delany to C Madande

0 Length ball on the off and Madande tucks it to short mid-wicket for none.

Scores are level...!!!

17.4 G Delany to C Madande

4 FOUR!!! The scores are level now!!!! Full toss ball on the off and Madande stands tall and punches it hard as the ball races away to the boundary at the deep cover.

17.3 G Delany to S Williams

1 Length ball on the off and Williams punches it to short cover for a single.

6 more runs to win this game. One hit away from the victory.

17.2 G Delany to S Williams

4 FOUR!! Woah, an eye-pleasing shot!!! Fuller ball on the off and Williams makes room and goes inside out as the ball flies over the short extra cover and races away for a boundary.

17.1 G Delany to C Madande

1 Fuller ball outside the off and Madande gets the inside edge of the bat as the ball rolls down to fine leg for a single.

OVER 17

Zimbabwe

104/5

Sean Williams

29(28)

Clive Madande

9(6)

George Dockrell

0-17(2.0)

16.6 G Dockrell to C Madande

1 Length ball down the leg and Madande guides it to the fine leg for a single to end the over.

16.5 G Dockrell to C Madande

0 Length ball on the off and Madande pats it to short cover.

100 comes up for Zimbabwe...!!! 15 runs away from the victory.