Dube, Jaiswal, Samson back; Khaleel comes in for rested Mukesh as India opt to bat first vs Zimbabwe

Harare: Shivam Dube, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Sanju Samson have slotted back into India’s playing eleven, while Khaleel Ahmed comes in for a rested Mukesh Kumar as captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bat first in the third T20I against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday.

Dube, Jaiswal and Samson had missed first two T20Is due to being a part of the T20 World Cup winning Indian team which flew directly to New Delhi from Bridgetown, Barbados, as hurricane Beryl disrupted their travel plans.

The five-match T20I series between India and Zimbabwe is currently tied at 1-1. With the quartet of Dube, Jaiswal, Samson and Khaleel replace Riyan Parag, B Sai Sudharsan, Dhruv Jurel and Mukesh, respectively, in the playing eleven.

“Hopefully the moisture will help us. We have got the World Cup winners back in the team. We have got a pretty balanced side. Deep batting with the power-hitters coming in,” said Gill after winning the toss.

Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza said pacer Richard Ngarava is declared fit and replaces Luke Jongwe, while Innocent Kaia is not fit and Tadiwanashe Marumani comes into the playing eleven in place of him.

“We were going to bowl first either way. The surface isn’t as moist as the first, not very flat. Will see the seamers coming into the contest, and expect some slow turn. Hopefully, the boys have learnt a few lessons from the second game. We need to back our bowlers and keep them to as low a total as possible,” he said.

Playing XIs

India: Yashasvi Jaiswal, Abhishek Sharma, Shubman Gill (captain), Ruturaj Gaikwad, Sanju Samson (wicketkeeper), Shivam Dube, Rinku Singh, Washington Sundar, Ravi Bishnoi, Avesh Khan and Khaleel Ahmed

Zimbabwe: Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wessly Madhevere, Brian Bennett, Dion Myers, Sikandar Raza (captain), Johnathan Campbell, Clive Madande (wicketkeeper), Wellington Masakadza, Richard Ngarava, Blessing Muzarabani and Tendai Chatara

–IANS