Singapore T20I Tri-Nation Series 2019, Match 3, Singapore vs Zimbabwe, Review: Hosts create history with their first win over ICC full member nation

The ongoing tri-series in Singapore is nicely set up for the final leg. All the three teams have played two matches each and have two points to their name. Only net run-rate separates them after Singapore’s stunning four-run victory in the thriller against Zimbabwe. The hosts overpowered Sean Williams’ superb 66-run knock off 35 deliveries to trigger a mini-collapse in the final overs and registered a much-needed victory.

The match started late thanks to untimely rain. It was reduced to an 18-over per side affair and despite failing in their previous game, Singapore once again opted to bat first after winning the toss. This time around, their opening pair, Surendran Chandramohan and Rohan Rangarajan, got them off to a brilliant start. The duo added 62 runs in six overs before the latter was run-out in an unfortunate way.

The run-scoring affected after the fall of wicket as Chandramohan and Aritra Dutta followed quickly as Singapore got reduced to 83/3 after 10 overs. Timothy David though continued playing his shots and raced away to 41 off 24 balls before Ryan Burl cut short his stay. Manpreet Singh then took control of the innings even as the wickets kept falling at the other end.

The punt of trying to hit the boundaries irrespective of the situation worked for them as the run-rate never dipped in the last eight overs. Singapore eventually went on to post 181 runs for the loss of nine wickets after 18 overs with Manpreet Singh only falling in the last over for 41.

Williams fights but Zimbabwe collapse

Regis Chakabva played a blinder of a knock to start off with as he raced away to 48 off just 19 balls. Though his partner Brian Chari got out early, the Zimbabwe skipper Sean Williams played second fiddle to him. At 63/2 in the sixth over, Zimbabwe needed another partnership of substance to get over the line. And they got it from Williams and Tinotenda Mutumbodzi.

The duo added 79 runs for the third wicket in just 46 balls and at 143/2 with around five overs to go, it seemed like Zimbabwe will canter to victory. But there was a huge twist in the tale. Mutumbodzi was dismissed in the 14th over and then Williams in the 16th over which turned the game on its head. When the latter got out, the game was still in the visitors’ hands as they only needed 18 runs off 14 balls with six wickets in hand.

But Janak Prakash provided a killing blow in the 17th over by sending back Ryan Burl and Richmond Mutumbami to reduce the equation to 10 runs off the last over. The tail-enders were never going to get those runs as Zimbabwe could only reach 177 runs for the loss of seven wickets to fell agonisingly short of the target.

Brief Scores

Singapore: 181/9 after 18 overs (T David 41, M Singh 41; R Burl 3/24)

Zimbabwe: 177/7 after 18 overs (S Williams 66, R Chakabva 48; A Shahzad 2/20)

Result: Singapore won by four runs.

Man of the Match: Sean Williams