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Team India posing after winning the One Day International series against Zimbabwe 3-0 Getty

Zimbabwe take on India in the first game of the three match Twenty20 International (T20I) series at the Harare Sports Club on 18 June (Saturday).

Where to watch live

Match starts at 12pm BST/4.30pm IST. There is no live coverage of the game in the UK. Ten 1 HD and Ten 3 will broadcast the game live in India.

Overview

Fresh from their three-nil drubbing at the hands of the opposition in the One Day Internationals (ODI), hosts Zimbabwe will look to give a better account of themselves in the shortest format of the game, when they play the first T20I on 18 June.

The problem throughout the series for the hosts has been the inability of the their players to stand up at crucial moments and guide the team. The senior players struggled to impose themselves. Vusi Sibanda was the highest scorer for them in the ODI series with 96 runs. Compare that to India and it clearly shows the gulf between the two teams.

The bowlers too lacked penetration, picking up just three wickets throughout the series, which for a side playing international cricket, is just not good enough. Coach Makhaya Ntini has a lot on his plate already, the most pressing issue being to get his bowlers to start taking wickets.

The team management called up Chamunorwa Chibhabha, Tapiwa Mufudza and Tinotenda Mutombodzi into the squad for the T20 series, but considering they were playing their full strength team in the earlier games, they are not expected to play in the starting XI.

India brought a second string side to the African nation taking the opportunity to give uncapped players a chance to show their talent. And the players took that chance impressing in every outing, K L Rahul and Yuzvendra Chahal in particular stood out with remarkable performances.

Playing in the Indian Premier League has worked wonders, especially for the youngsters who get acclimatised to the pressures of the game and hence are not overawed when they represent the country.

Skipper M S Dhoni has not had much to do so far in the ODI series. In fact, he has not yet had the opportunity to bat. He will be impressed looking at the talent on offer and will mostly go with the same playing XI that he played in the first two games of three-match ODI series.

Prediction

India to win

Team news

Zimbabwe

Squad: Graeme Cremer (c), Brian Chari, Tendai Chatara, Chamu Chibhabha, Elton Chigumbura, Neville Madziva, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Wellington Masakadza, Peter Moor, Tapiwa Mufudza, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Richmond Mutumbami (wk), Taurai Muzarabani, Vusi Sibanda, Sikandar Raza, Donald Tiripano, Malcolm Waller.

India

Squad: MS Dhoni (c & wk), Jasprit Bumrah, Yuzvendra Chahal, Rishi Dhawan, Faiz Fazal, Kedhar Jadhav, Dhawal Kulkarni, Mandeep Singh, Karun Nair, Manish Pandey, Axar Patel, Lokesh Rahul, Ambati Rayudu, Barinder Sran, Jaydev Unadkat, Jayant Yadav.

India cricket