Zimbabwe vs India – 1st One-Day International Preview & Prediction
THE FACTS
When is Zimbabwe vs India taking place? Thursday, August 18th, 2022 – 08:15 (UK)
Where is Zimbabwe vs India taking place? Harare Sports Club, Harare
What is the expected weather for Zimbabwe vs India? 18-25c dry, with bright sunshine and a gentle breeze
What channel is Zimbabwe vs India on? The match will be televised live on FreeSports in the UK
Where can I stream Zimbabwe vs India? FreeSports subscribers will be able to stream the match live via the FreeSports Player both online and via smart phones.
LAST MEETING
India beat Zimbabwe by ten wickets.
THE LOWDOWN
ZIMBABWE
- Zimbabwe come into this series as heavy underdogs, but with proven pedigree having been excellent at home across their international fixtures played over July and August, most recently winning both a T20i and ODI series against Bangladesh.
- If the hosts are to be successful here, then those batters who shone against Bangladesh such as Sikandar Raza and Innocent Kaia to name two will need to provide significant runs once again for their side this time round.
INDIA
- India won’t be at full-strength in Zimbabwe with a number of first-choice players such as Rohit Sharma, Jasprit Bumrah, Virat Kohli and Rishabh Pant to name four having been rested, however batter KL Rahul makes a welcome return following a significant lay off through injury and he will captain the tourists.
- A shoulder injury sustained playing for Lancashire in the Royal London One-Day Cup has ruled out all-rounder Washington Sundar from making a comeback to the Indian team and Shahbaz Ahmed has been brought into the squad as his replacement.
THE PREDICTION
India will need to be at their best with the ball in Harare, where Zimbabwe have shone with the bat in white ball cricket over the past month and a half. However, it’s important to note that the hosts will not have faced a bowling attack of India’s class and this marks a massive test from their point of view. Also worth considering is India’s batting depth, which will see them look to dominate a Zimbabwean bowling unit without Blessing Muzarabani due to injury. They have an excellent mix of power, style and technical ability and they are likely to rack up a big score should they be batting first. However, regardless of whether India bat first or second, they will be expected to win this first ODI.
