Zimbabwe won the toss and chose to bowl first in the second T20I against Ireland in Harare, opting for this strategy due to overcast conditions and a damp pitch. Both teams maintained their unchanged lineups after the first match was washed out, allowing for only nine overs of play. Zimbabwe’s captain, Sikandar Raza, cited the moist conditions as the reason for inserting Ireland, aiming to apply early pressure. Ireland’s captain, Paul Stirling, agreed with the decision but hoped the toss wouldn’t be a decisive factor. The pitch was described as grassy with cracks, promising an interesting contest.
Toss Zimbabwe opted to bowl against Ireland
The toss for the second T20I occurred in overcast weather in Harare, where Zimbabwe emerged victorious. Captain Sikandar Raza decided to field first, with both teams maintaining their unchanged line-ups.
Both sides are eager for a prolonged match that yields a result, following a damp start that saw Saturday’s series opener abandoned. Only nine overs were played that day, and the weather forecast indicates that the second T20I might face similar challenges.
Raza mentioned that the morning rain influenced Zimbabwe’s choice. “Typically, the pitch is in good condition, but I noticed it was somewhat tacky yesterday due to the moisture,” he stated. “With more rain falling this morning, we want to ensure we apply pressure right from the start.”
Paul Stirling expressed that he would have also chosen to bowl first but hoped the toss results would not be overly significant. The pitch is grassy yet shows numerous cracks.
Zimbabwe: 1 Brian Bennett, 2 Tadiwanashe Marumani (wk), 3 Wessly Madhevere, 4 Tashinga Musekiwa, 5 Sikandar Raza (capt), 6 Ryan Burl, 7 Wellington Masakadza, 8 Richard Ngarava, 9 Blessing Muzarabani, 10 Trevor Gwandu, 11 Tony Munyonga
Ireland: 1 Paul Stirling (capt), 2 Neil Rock, 3 Curtis Campher, 4 Harry Tector, 5 Lorcan Tucker (wk), 6 George Dockrell, 7 Gareth Delany, 8 Ben White, 9 Graham Hume, 10 Josh Little, 11 Craig Young