ज़िम्बाब्वे vs आयरलैंड, तीसरा टी-20, हरारे स्पोर्ट्स क्लब, हरारे, 15 January 2023 - कमेंट्री

On a length and angling on middle and leg. Clive Madande tries to heave it towards the leg side but misses. The ball hits his pads and there is an appeal but the umpire says no. 

Goes fuller and on middle. Clive tries to hit it hard but mistimes it to mid-wicket.

This is not clever batting! On a length, on off. Clive Madande goes for a wild swing and ends up missing it completely. He just needs to show some cricketing nous!

FOUR! This time he connects and gets a boundary! 3 needed now! A fullish delivery on middle. Clive Madande drills it down the ground for a boundary.

OUT! BOWLED! Barry McCarthy hits the timber and is pumped here! Still 3 needed from 7 balls. This is very full and on middle and leg. Clive Madande goes for another big swing across the line. However, he misses it and the ball knocks over the stumps. Is there another twist in the tale? Luke Jongwe is the next man in.

WIDE! Back of a length, around leg. Jongwe tries to clip it but misses. 2 needed now!

FOUR! That's it! Luke Jongwe finishes things in style! This is full and on middle. Luke Jongwe slams it down the ground and almost gets a six as the ball bounces just in front of ropes for a boundary. The crowd goes wild and it is Zimbabwe who win this game by 4 wickets! They win the series by 2-1 margin!

A flatter and quicker delivery, around off. Burl gets across and sweeps it to mid-wicket for a single.

Dot ball! On middle and quicker. Clive Madande works it to mid-wicket.

Quicker, touch shorter and outside off. Clive tries to go inside out but mistimes it and the ball falls way short of the deep cover fielder. A single is taken.

WIDE! Short and outside off. Burl lets it go.

SIX! Wow! What a clean hit! A fuller delivery on middle. Burl gets it right in the slot and he tonks it over deep mid-wicket for a biggie.

SIX! Burl goes BANG BANG! Touch shorter and on off. Burl gets under it and slams it over deep mid-wicket for a biggie. Crowd goes wild and Zimbabwe are inching close to the finish line now!

FOUR! Boundary to end the over and just 7 needed now! This is full and on leg. Easy pickings for Burl as he flicks it towards the backward square leg fence for a boundary.

Back of a length and outside off. Burl tries to slap it but mistimes it right of the bowler. Ervine is backing up a way too far and has to dive in to make his ground as Adair picks the ball and has a shy at the bowler's end. He misses and the batters take a run off an overthrow.

WIDE! Back of a length and down the leg side. Ervine tries to pull it but misses.

A slower shortish delivery, outside off. Ervine tries to cut it but misses.

A full toss on middle. Ervine powers it to long on for a single.

FOUR! This man seems to be batting on a different deck! Short and on middle. Burl gets across to his left and pulls it towards fine leg for a boundary.

Short and outside off. Burl slaps it to long off for a single.

OUT! CAUGHT! Oh, this is a big blow to Zimbabwe! The crowd has been silenced as Adair gets a big wicket of Ervine! Adair bowls it into the pitch. A slower delivery and not much pace for Ervine to work with. He shimmies down the track and tries to slap it over mid off. However, he miscues it and gets a top edge to the right of the mid off fielder. Campher runs to his right and takes a fine catch. This match is going down to the wire! Clive Madande is the next man in.

Shortish and around off. Burl pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Short and on off. Ervine pulls it to deep square leg for a single.

Back of a length and around off. Burl pushes it to covers and the batters take a risky single. The fielder has a shy at the bowler's end but misses.

On a length and outside off. Ervine drives it on the up and gets it off the outside half of his blade. The ball goes just over the backward point fielder and two runs are taken.

FOUR! Fifty for Craig Ervine! A true captain's knock this! Superb knock under pressure! Shortish and on off. Ervine tries to pull it but gets a top edge that goes over the keeper's head for a boundary.

Back of a length, on middle. Ervine works it through mid-wicket and comes back for the second run. 34 needed now from 24 balls. Ireland need a wicket here!

Tossed up on off. Tony Munyonga sweeps it to deep mid-wicket for a couple.

Shortish and on off. Tony makes room and slaps it to long off for a single.

In the air...but safe! Tossed up on off. Ervine shimmies down the track and tries to go downtown. However, he miscues it and the ball goes high in the air. Luckily for Ervine, it falls away from the long off fielder behind the umpire and a single is taken.

OUT! CAUGHT! Tony Munyonga departs! This is fuller and on off. Tony Munyonga slog-sweeps and bit of helicopter movement too in that shot. However, he fails to get the desired distance and ends up hitting it straight to Curtis Campher at deep mid-wicket. He takes a fine catch and Zimbabwe lose their fourth.

FOUR! Good start for Burl! Shortish and on off. Burl goes back and pulls it through mid-wicket for a boundary.

Bowls it fuller and on middle. Burl works it to the leg side for a single. 45 needed now from 30 balls!

Short and on off. Ervine makes room and cuts it to left of deep cover fielder for a couple.

FOUR! Good shot! Ervine makes room and Tector follows him. Bowls it full and on leg. Ervine clips it and the ball goes very fine and runs towards the fence.

Fires it on middle and leg. Ervine tries to clip it but misses. The ball goes off his pads towards the leg side and Ervine intiially looks for a single but is sent back. The keeper meanwhile collects the ball and fires a direct hit at the batter's end. The ball deflects off the stumps and a leg bye is taken. Replays show that Ervine is well in when the ball hits the stumps.

Shorter and around off. Tony Munyonga tries to cut it but misses.

Another quicker delivery and outside off. Tony Munyonga throws his blade at it but misses.

Touch shorter and around off. Tony dabs it behind square on the off side and takes a single.

A slower length delivery on off. Ervine dabs it towards the point fielder and the fielder there fires a direct hit at the batter's end but Tony Munyonga makes his ground as the batters steal a single.

A slower length delivery, outside off. Tony tries to cut it but misses.

Back of a length and outside off. Tony Munyonga tries to pull it but gets an inside edge. The ball goes off the bounce to the keeper and he fails to collect it cleanly. A single is taken.

Back of a length, on middle. Ervine works it to deep square leg and the fielder there misfields a bit as couple of runs are taken.

FOUR! Much-needed boundary for Zimbabwe! Shortish and on leg. Ervine pulls and pulls it past the diving short fine leg fielder for a boundary.

Short and outside off. Ervine cuts it to sweeper cover for a single.

Touch shorter and on middle. Ervine works it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Shortish and on off. Tony goes back and cuts it to deep extra cover for a couple.

Slower through the air, on off. Tony Munyonga skips down the track and pushes it to long off for a single.

Touch shorter and on off. Ervine punches it to covers for a single.

Short and around off. Tony Munyonga cuts it past the point fielder for a single.

Angles it on middle and leg. Ervine skips down the track and works it to deep square leg for a single. 71 needed now from 48 balls!

A googly on middle. Ervine pushes it towards the off side.

Tossed up on middle. Ervine reverse-sweeps it and gets a top edge this time. The ball goes aerially and falls away from the short third man fielder as two runs are taken.

Short and on off. Ervine pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

OUT! CAUGHT! Oh, that a soft.soft dismissal! Excellent catch by Andy Balbirnie though and Zimbabwe lose their third. This is a full toss on middle. Wesley Madhevere reverse-sweeps and hits it right of Andy Balbirnie at first slip. Andy Balbirnie takes his right hand out and takes a one-handed stunner! White gets his first wicket! Tony Munyonga is the next man in.

FOUR! Good shot first up! Tossed up and outside off. Tony Munyonga shimmies down the track and drives it through covers for a boundary.

Shortish and outside off. Tony tries to punch it but misses.

Shortish and on off. Ervine works it to long on for a single.

Touch shorter again on off. Wesley Madhevere punches it to long on for a single.

Goes fuller and on off. Ervine makes room and drives it to long off for a single.

Touch shorter and on middle. Wesley Madhevere works it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Fires it quicker and on middle. Ervine knocks it down to long on for a single.

Slower through the air, on leg. Wesley Madhevere makes room and drives it to the extra cover fielder. 85 needed now from 60 balls!

Loopy delivery on off. Ervine makes room and tries to drive but mistimes it.

Pushes it quicker and on middle. Ervine manages to fend it out somehow.

Slower through the air and outside off. Ervine drives it to sweeper cover for a single.

Quicker and flatter on middle. Kaia works it to mid-wicket.

OUT! CAUGHT! Tector roars as he gets a big wicket of Innocent Kaia and breaks this second-wicket stand. Timely wicket for the Irish. Slower through the air and outside off. Kaia dances down the track and tries to go downtown. However, he does not get the middle of his blade and ends up hitting it straight to Mark Adair at long on. He takes it safely and Innocent Kaia walks back disappointed. Wesley Madhevere is the next man in.

Slower through the air, on off. Wellington Masakadza works it towards the leg side.

Starts off with a flatter and quicker delivery on middle and leg. Kaia tries to defend it off the front foot. He misses and gets hit on the pads. A big appeal follows but the umpire says no. Probably going down leg.

Touch shorter and on off. Kaia punches it to cover-point for a single.

FOUR! Nicely played! A full toss on off. Ervine gets low and paddles it to the fine leg fence for a boundary.

Shortish and outside off. Ervine pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Tossed up on off. Kaia drives it back to the bowler.

FOUR! Another good over for Zimbabwe! 50 comes up as well. Shortish and on off. Kaia goes back and slaps it left of the long off fielder. Barry McCarthy there runs to his left and slides to stop it, however, the ball goes past him for a boundary.

Tossed up on middle. Kaia works it to mid-wicket.

Goes fuller on leg. Kaia sweeps it to short fine leg.

Touch shorter and on middle. Kaia goes back and works it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

On the shorter side and around off. Ervine clips it to mid-wicket for a single again,

Flatter and quicker on off. Kaia punches it to sweeper cover for a single.

Serves it fuller and on off. Ervine makes room and mistimes his drive to covers.

Back of a length, on off. Kaia pulls it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Touch shorter and on middle. Ervine works it through mid-wicket for a couple.

Back of a length and outside off. Ervine punches it to deep point for a couple.

FOUR! Runs are flowing now for Zimbabwe! On the shorter side again on middle. Ervine pulls and pulls it well past short fine leg for a boundary.

Goes fuller and on off. Ervine fends it back to the bowler.

Lands it on a length, on off. Ervine fends it calmly towards the off side. Zimbabwe are 38/1 at the end of the Powerplay!

FOUR! Campher is greeted with a boundary here! Back of a length, on leg. Kaia pulls it and pulls it in the gap towards backward square leg for a boundary.

FOUR! Too short and Kaia gets another boundary! Fine leg is inside the circle and this is easy for Kaia. Short and on middle. Kaia pulls it and pulls it over short fine leg for a boundary.

Bangs it short again on off. Kaia pulls it to deep square leg for a single.

Back of a length and outside off. Ervine tries to cut it but mitimes it towards the off side.

FOUR! Third boundary of the over! On a length and outside off. Ervine frees his arms and hits it over mid off for a boundary.

Shortish and outside off. Ervine tries to cut it but misses. 13 from the over!

Short and on off. Kaia pulls it to deep square leg for a single.

Short and outside off. Ervine tries to cut it but misses. The ball goes off the bounce to the keeper and he fails to collect it cleanly. A bye is taken.

Back of a length, on off. Kaia pulls it hard and to deep square leg for a single.

Touch on the shorter side, on middle. Ervine tries to work it towards the leg side but gets a leading edge towards mid off.

WIDE! Short and down the leg side. Ervine tries to pull it but misses.

On a length and around off. Ervine punches it to mid off and takes a quick single.

A slower shortish delivery, outside off. Kaia tries to power it away but fails to get a bat on it. Keeper too fails to collect it cleanly and a bye is taken.

Goes fuller and on leg. Kaia tries to flick it but misses. The ball brushes his pads and goes to the keeper.

On a length, on off. Kaia skips down the track and hits it down the ground. Couple of runs taken as the fielder cuts it off.

Back of a length, on off. Kaia heaves it to deep mid-wicket for a single.

Back of a length, on off. Tadiwanashe Marumani punches it to the mid off fielder.

OUT! CAUGHT! Barry McCarthy draws first blood and Tadiwanashe Marumani departs early. Lands it on a length, on off. Tadiwanashe Marumani tries to drive it on up but fails to get any timing and ends up hitting it uppishly and straight to Andy Balbirnie at extra cover. He takes an easy catch and this is just the start Ireland needed. Craig Ervine walks out to the middle now.

Back of a length and outside off. Ervine punches it to the point fielder.

Oh, unlucky there Tadiwanashe Marumani! A fullish delivery, around off. Tadiwanashe Marumani absolutely smashes it but the ball hit the stumps at the bowler's end.

Back of a length, on off. Tadiwanashe Marumani works it to mid-wicket for a single.

Back of a length, on leg. Kaia tries to tuck it away but misses. The ball goes off his pads towards short fine leg and a leg bye is taken.

Goes fuller and on middle. Tadiwanashe Marumani flicks it straight to the square leg fielder.

On a length, on middle. Tadiwanashe Marumani turns it to deep square leg and the fielder there fumbles a bit as the batters take two.

Back of a length, on off. Tadiwanashe Marumani fends it back to the bowler.

Shortish and drifting into middle from 'round the wicket. Tadiwanashe Marumani works it to mid-wicket for a single. Zimbabwe are underway!

Tossed up on off. Kaia drives it to long on for a single.

Shortish and quicker on off. Tadiwanashe Marumani chops it to the point fielder.

Again it is short and outside off. Tadiwanashe Marumani tries to cut it but gets an inside edge that goes just past the stumps.

Angles it on leg and quicker. Tadiwanashe Marumani clips it to the leg side for a single.

Touch shorter and on off. Kaia plays it back to the bowler. Good start from Tector again!