NEW DELHI: Zimbabwean spinner Wellington Masakadza warned the visitors not to underestimate the home team at their own peril after he and Shubman Gill's India were severely damaged in the first Twenty20 International in Harare. He also stated that his team would make the most of the home ground to win the five-match series.
An enormous upset occurred when the inexperienced but determined Zimbabwean squad defeated the India team by 13 runs.
India, who won the T20 World Cup recently, were predicted to easily defeat Zimbabwe until they held the national team to 115 for nine. However, they did it with a different squad.
However, Zimbabwe crafted their own story, bowling India out for 102 in 19.5 overs after reducing them to 28 for four during the Powerplay.
It was India's first loss in T20Is in 2024 and first against Zimbabwe in eight years.
Masakadza, who finished with figures of 1/15 in three overs, said: "We are trying to use our own conditions as much as we can against this Indian side. It's a second-string Indian side, but there are a lot of good players in there. So, we are looking forward to this series," Masakadza said in an interview with PTI Videos facilitated by broadcasters Sony Sports Network.
"We've had a few plans in place. We needed them to work and obviously, we are trying to use our own conditions as much as we can against this Indian side."
Masakadza, who removed Avesh Khan, the last man standing, on Saturday, stated he was now targeting captain Shubman Gill's wicket.
"I'll be looking to take Shubman Gill's big wicket and some of the right-handers, (Riyan) Parag and some of the other guys in the side.
"It will be a very good challenge. They're (Ravi Bishnoi and Washington Sundar) very good spinners. Bishnoi has just had a very good tournament in the IPL and also Sundar. So it's always a very good challenge to have Asian spinners."
The left-arm spinner stated that while Harare experiences winter like the Southern Hemisphere, the home team's pacers will probably cause the Indian hitters problems because they are accustomed to the pitch.
"It's winter here and at times it's a bit difficult for batters as the pitch is slowish, with a bit of turn. The seam is always a very big challenge in Harare during winter. So, I think the ball will move a bit and it will spin also," said Masakadza, a veteran of 90 T20Is.
A series victory, he continued, will be a boost to Zimbabwe cricket, which has been struggling for a while.
"This series will mean a lot to us. If we manage to win the series, it will be a very big thing in our future."
"We're starting a new chapter, we have had our ups and downs in the past. We've just had a new coaching staff. So I just think from now on, this is a big thing for us and we'll be looking forward to making a few plans to get ourselves across the line," said the 30-year-old, who, like his skipper Sikandar Raza, wants to play in the IPL.
Pakistan-born Raza, an IPL player for Punjab Kings this season, was declared "Player of the Match" on Saturday after he claimed three wickets and scored 17 runs.
"Definitely, it's always a good thing to go out there and play in those leagues. I will look to take some wickets in this series. That can be good for me to get a gig (IPL contract)."
