India vs Zimbabwe 3rd T20I 2024 Highlights: Shubman Gill, Washington Sundar star as IND win by 23 runs to take 2-1 lead

India vs Zimbabwe 3rd T20I 2024 Live Score: IND beat ZIM by 23 runs

India vs Zimbabwe 3rd T20I 2024 Highlights: Washington Sundar spun his web and claimed three wickets as India restricted Zimbabwe to 159/6 while defending a 183-run target. Avesh Khan also struck a couple of wickets in the powerplay to put the hosts under pressure as Zimbabwe crumbled under pressure early. Dion Myers hit an unbeaten 65 but failed to take the hosts over the line.

Earlier, Shubman Gill regained his form and scored a solid 66 as India posted a formidable 182/4 in 20 overs. He got support from the other end as Ruturaj Gaikwad (49) and Yashasvi Jaiswal (36) also made valuable contributions for India. India captain Shubman Gill won the toss and elected to bat first against Zimbabwe in Harare. India made four changes to their XI as Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson, Shivam Dube, and Khaleel Ahmed returned to the side.

Abhishek Sharma, who smashed a brilliant century in the second T20I, was pushed back in the batting order to accommodate for a relatively senior Yashasvi Jaiswal; a part of the T20 World Cup-winning team last month, Jaiswal makes a return to the playing XI for the first since since January earlier this year, when India faced Afghanistan in a bilateral series.

With the departure of the two batting stalwarts in Virat Kohli and Rohit Sharma, the duo of Gill and Jaiswal has originally been looked at as the prime successors. It can, justifiably, change if Abhishek's brilliant performances continue. For now, Jaiswal would look to solidify his place alongside captain Gill as India look to take a lead for the first time in this series.

Significant eyes will also be on Sanju Samson, who replaced Dhruv Jurel in the playing XI. Like Jaiswal, Samson was also forced to bench for all of India's matches in the T20 World Cup, with Rishabh Pant being given preference. Such bilateral series are make-or-break opportunities for Samson, who is yet to have a considerably consistent run in the playing XI in the shortest format.

Shivam Dube and Rinku Singh, who were stiff competitors for one role ahead of T20 World Cup squad selection -- with Dube eventually winning the race -- are now in the same XI in the third T20I. This makes India's XI significantly left-heavy, with Jaiswal and Abhishek already in the top-order, and Washington Sundar following in the lower-middle order.

Rinku played a blinder during the second T20I, remaining unbeaten on 48 off just 22 balls and will continue to keep the form intact. Dube, meanwhile, is fresh from the T20 World Cup triumph, and while his outing at the tournament had largely been underwhelming, the southpaw turned up the heat in the all-important final, scoring a crucial 27 off 16 balls towards the end of the Indian innings.

Key Highlights of the 3rd T20I between India and Zimbabwe

-India (182/4) beat Zimbabwe (159/6) by 23 runs, take 2-1 lead in five-match series

-Washington Sundar picked three wickets for India

-Avesh Khan claimed a couple in powerplay to put ZIM under pressure

-India post 182/4 (S Gill 66, R Gaikwad 49; S Raza 2/24) in 20 overs

-Shubman Gill hit his first fifty of the series

-Sikandar Raza dismisses Yashasvi Jaiswal (36) and Abhishek Sharma (10)

-50 up for India in just 4.1 overs as Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shubman Gill off to a flyer

-Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube returned to India's XI

-Shubman won the toss and elected to bat first