Cricket-India win second T20 clash in Zimbabwe to take series


HARARE, July 25 (Reuters) - India ⁠inflicted another heavy defeat on Zimbabwe when they ⁠won the second Twenty20 international at Harare Sports Club ‌by 90 runs on Saturday to secure their three-match series.

Ishan Kishan scored 81 and Tilak Varma an unbeaten 60 as India amassed a formidable ​total of 219-5 after being put into ⁠bat before dismissing Zimbabwe ⁠cheaply for 129 to secure victory.

Kishan, whose runs came off ⁠44 ‌balls, and Tilak, who took 29 balls to get to 60, accelerated the scoring in the middle ⁠overs, taking advantage of bowling that was often ​too full.

They put ‌on 94 off 44 balls for the fourth wicket ⁠before Ishan ​was caught in the deep mistiming a slog at a wide delivery.

Zimbabwe faced a record run chase and, although opener Brian ⁠Bennett offered some early hope, they ​were always up against it and were dismissed in 17.5 overs.

Bennett played an array of strokes for 32 runs off 19 ⁠balls before falling to Yash Thakur, who finished with 2-30 on his T20 international debut.

Once Bennett had been dismissed, there was a steady fall of wickets with the slow left-arm ​bowling of Abhishek Sharma producing the best ⁠figures of 3-17.

India won the opening match of the three-game ​series at the Harare Sports Club ‌by seven wickets with 40 balls ​to spare.

The last clash is on Sunday.

(Writing by Mark Gleeson in Cape Town; Editing by Clare Fallon)

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