ZIM vs IND | Twitter reacts as Raza swings one through Gill's gate to stun Indian skipper

SportsCafe Desk

BySportsCafe Desk, SportsCafe Editor

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An Indian second-string team were favourites to trump a Zimbabwe that could not even qualify for the World Cup, especially after bowling them out for 115, but their charismatic skipper had other plans. Sikandar Raza got rid of his counterpart Shubman Gill with some brilliant drift in Harare.

‌India's inexperienced batting lineup faltered time and again in a paltry chase of 116 in the first T20I at Harare Sports Club, whittling down to 43/5 at the halfway stage. However, the Men in Blue still had their hopes intact largely courtesy of Shubman Gill anchoring one end with conviction, the stand-in Indian skipper having strut past 30 and looking poised to take his team hope. Yet, as has often been the case for the good part of a decade for the hosts, the ever-influential Sikandar Raza emerged as the gamechanger to swing momentum back into the African contingent's favour with a brilliant delivery.

Bringing himself on to bowl for the first time in the match in the 11th over, the off-break bowler jogged in with his typical hand-behind-the-back action to disguise the variations. On the second delivery, Raza delivered a well-hidden carrom ball that caught Gill off-guard even as he charged down the wicket. The Kookaburra landed slightly back of a length and drifted in just enough to sneak past the bat's inside edge and flick the pads before kissing the top of off-stump. Raza was ecstatic at having scalped India's main man and immediately wheeled off in jubilant celebrations while Gill stood his ground for a moment, perplexed upon being outdone by the Zimbabwean's brilliance.

Twitterati's reactions ranged from disappointment directed at Gill to showering praise on the reliable Raza.

Captain to captain and gone!

He was under pressure!

Too much to handle there out!

Aram se haar rhi bhai! :(

He should have stayed there for bit more long!

LOL!

Hilarious tho!

:|

Choked all from the bottom!

True that!

India in trouble!a

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