'Youngsters making mistakes is acceptable. But seniors...': Sikandar Raza merciless after loss to India in 3rd T20I

Sikandar Raza wasn't too happy in his assessment of Zimbabwe's defeat at the hands of India in the 3rd T20I on Wednesday.

Shubman Gill and Ruturaj Gaikwad delivered stellar performances with the bat, setting the stage for India's 23-run victory over Zimbabwe in the third T20I on Wednesday. Gill's 66 off 49 balls, complemented by Yashasvi Jaiswal's brisk 36 off 27 and Gaikwad's quickfire 49 off 28, powered India to a formidable 182 for four after choosing to bat on a fresh pitch.

Zimbabwe's Sikandar Raza plays a shot during the T20I against India (AFP)

Zimbabwe struggled to keep up with the chase, despite a valiant effort from number four batsman Dion Myers, who remained unbeaten on 65 off 49 balls. Ultimately, Zimbabwe fell short, finishing at 159 for six in their allotted 20 overs. Washington Sundar emerged as a key figure in India's bowling attack, claiming three crucial wickets, while Avesh Khan supported with two dismissals.

After the loss, Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza was candid in his assessment. He highlighted the team's shortcomings, particularly in fielding, and stressed the need for senior players to step up. Raza was adamant that there were no excuses for the their performances, insisting that they must improve to stay competitive in the series.

“I think it's the fielding again, we are proud of our fielding but the wheels came off today, we gave away 20 extra runs and we lost by 23 runs. We still have problems at the top but I have utmost faith in them that they will come good some time,” Raza said in the post-match presentation.

"We have tried 15 different partners (openers) in the last year and a half or so. There is a lot of cricket going on in the country and club cricket has revived.

“It's time that our players including myself take up the responsibility. The youngsters making mistakes is acceptable but the senior players need to step up. You cannot fix a problem by creating another problem, we have picked 3 openers for a reason. The openers that have been picked up should be given a run,” said Raza.

Fightback from Zimbabwe

India's bowlers, led by Avesh Khan, put early pressure on Zimbabwe, with Khan dismissing opener Wessly Madhevere in the second over. The hosts found themselves in deep trouble at 39 for five, but a resilient 77-run partnership off 57 balls between Myers and Clive Madande (37 off 26) injected some life into the contest.

As the series heads to its fourth T20I on Saturday, India have regained momentum with consecutive victories following a loss in the series opener.