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Sran, Bumrah help India ease past Zimbabwe

Last updated on: June 20, 2016 22:53 IST

Seamer Barinder Sran has excellent figures of 4 for 10, the second-best globally.

India's first 10-wicket win in T20s.

IMAGE: India pacer Barinder Sran bowls. Photograph: Paul Kane/Getty Images.

Seamer Barinder Sran made his first outing in a Twenty20 International memorable, returning the best figures by an Indian debutant in the format as the visitors beat Zimbabwe by 10 wickets, in Harare, on Monday.

- Scorecard

Sran finished with excellent figures of 4 for 10 in his quota of four overs, the second best globally, as Zimbabwe were restricted to 99 for 9 in their 20 overs in the second T20 International of the series between the teams.

Before Sran, Pragyan Ojha’s 4 for 21 against Bangladesh in the 2009 World T20, was the Indian record.

In reply, the opening pair of Lokesh Rahul (47 off 40 balls) and Mandeep Singh (52 off 40) put up 103 in 13.1 overs to hand India's its first 10-wicket win in the format and help them avenge the two-run defeat in Saturday's opening T20.

Earlier, Sran was ably assisted by Jasprit Bumrah, who picked up three wickets for 11 runs in his quota of four overs.

Sran and Bumrah picked up seven wickets between them, conceding just 21 runs in eight economical overs.

Bangladesh's Elias Sunny (5-13) holds the record for the best bowling figures by a debutant in T20 Internationals.

IMAGE: India's Lokesh Rahul celebrates the win over Zimbabwe. Photograph: Philimon Bulawayo/Reuters.

Opting to bat after winning the toss, Zimbabwe were pushed on the backfoot as Sran and Bumrah struck at regular intervals.

India had the day's first breakthrough when the 23-year-old Sran sent back Chamu Chibhabha (10) with excellent change of pace in the third over.

Two overs later, the young left-arm pacer from Sirsa, Haryana, struck again, uprooting Hamilton Masakadza's (10) middle stump with a delivery that had a hint of inward movement.

Sran continued to torment the home side as he had Sikandar Raza caught at gully by KL Rahul.

Tinotenda Mutombodzi's dismissal off the very next ball made it worse for Zimbabwe, who were reeling at 28 for four at that stage, leaving Sran on a hat-trick.

While Sran could not take three wickets off successive balls, Bumrah joined in the party by wiping off the lower-order.

There was one wicket each for leg-spinner Yuzvendra Chahal and Dhawal Kulkarni.

Chasing the meagre total, Rahul and Mandeep proved too strong for the mediocre Zimbabwean bowling attack.

While Mandeep smashed six fours and a six, Rahul found the fence twice and also cleared it twice.

Zimbabwe struggled not just with the bat and ball, but in the field too as Mandeep was dropped on 23.

As Mandeep pulled Chamu Chibhabha's short delivery straight to the deep square leg fielder, the ball bounced off his hands and landed on the other side of the rope for a six.

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