New Delhi: India will look to bag their second win in a row when they take on Zimbabwe in the third T20I of the ongoing five-match T20I series at the Harare Sports Club in Harare on Wednesday, July 10. After suffering a shock defeat in the series opener, Shubman Gill & Co. bounced back to winning ways in the 2nd T20I by hammering the hosts by 100 runs at the same venue.
Abhishek Sharma and Ruturaj Gaikwad shone with the bat as India posted a huge total of 234 runs, batting first in the 2nd T20I before the bowlers impressed to bowl out Zimbabwe 134 runs to script a comfortable victory. Abhishek notched up his maiden T20I ton en route to a brilliant knock of 47-ball 100 while Gaikwad slammed an unbeaten 77.
While the duo will look to continue their purple patch in the third T20I, there could be a potential change in India’s batting line-up for the 3rd T20I. Sanju Samson, who linked up with the squad earlier this week, might feature in the XI in place of young Dhruv Jurel, who kept the wickets in the first two T20Is.
Samson was part of India’s squad that won the T20 World Cup 2024 last month. India defeated South Africa by 7 runs in a thrilling final to clinch the elusive trophy, ending the country’s 11-year-long wait for an ICC title. Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube were all supposed to join the India squad in Harare ahead of the third T20I and the wicket-keeper batter was the first to do so.
Jurel is thus likely to make way for Samson, who will be eager to get some game time after warming the bench throughout the T20 World Cup 2024. Samson and Jaiswal both didn’t get a game during the World Cup and will be hoping to get into the thick of action in the Zimbabwe series.
Where will Sanju Samson bat?
With Abhishek opening the batting alongside Gill and Ruturaj batting at no.3, Samson is likely to slot in at no.4 in the playing XI in the third T20I. It remains to be seen if India will also let go of Sai Sudharsan to rope in big-hitter Shivam Dube in the middle order to add more explosiveness to their young but talented batting line-up.
The onus will be on the batters to not repeat their mistakes from the 1st T20I and ensure India continue their winning momentum in the 3rd T20I to take 2-1 lead in the five-match series.
Sanju Samson linked up with the Indian squad in Harare earlier this week and will be in contention to replace Dhruv Jurel in the third T20I between India and Zimbabwe on Wednesday. Cricket Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
