After winning the T20 World Cup 2024, team India’s second string squad led by Shubman Gill has toured Zimbabwe for five T20Is with the series opener scheduled on July 6. Today we take a look at the top parlay picks for the first T20I between India and Zimbabwe, scheduled to be played at the Harare Sports Club in Harare on July 6. Before starting with the best betting tips, let us have a look at both the teams and their squads for the five-match T20Is series.
Majority of the T20 World Cup winning players have been rested for this series. Only Sanju Samson, Yashasvi Jaiswal and Shivam Dube have been named in the squad but will be available from the third T20I. Rinku Singh and Khaleel Ahmed, among reserves for the World Cup, have reached Zimbabwe and are available now. Shubman Gill has been named the captain of the young team.
Riyan Parag, Tushar Deshpande, Dhruv Jurel and Abhishek Sharma have received the maiden call-up to the T20I team while Harshit Rana is in the squad for the first two matches. The five-match T20I series against Zimbabwe provides the youngsters an opportunity to stake their claim for a place in the squad on a permanent basis. The onus will be on the likes of Gill, Ruturaj Gaikwad and Samson with the bat while Avesh Khan, Mukesh Kumar and Ravi Bishnoi will be key among the bowlers against Zimbabwe.
As far as Zimbabwe are concerned, they couldn’t qualify for the recently concluded T20 World Cup but will be eager to put up a show against the new-look Indian team. Sikandar Raza will continue to lead the side but they have not considered the senior players Sean Williams and Craig Ervine.
The hosts, however, have named a youthful squad for this series while also naming 25-year-old Antum Naqvi who has set the stage on fire in domestic cricket. He is from Belgium and has been selected subject to getting Zimbabwe citizenship in time for the series.
Apart from Raza, Blessing Muzarabani, Richard Ngarava and Luke Jongwe will be some of the key players for Zimbabwe in this massive series against India.
Highest individual score
Highest individual score in the match to be Over 62.5 at odds of 1.85 (Parimatch)
India and Zimbabwe both teams are boasting some of the talented players in their squads. India have the likes Gill, Gaikwad and Abhishek Sharma among others while Zimbabwe will have their skipper Sikandar Raza who is likely to go big among all of them.
The surface in Harare is expected to be fresh and a decent one for batting with this being the start of the season. The match is starting at around 1 PM local time and the conditions will be serene to bat on. For the same reason, one of the batters is certain to go past the 62-run mark helping his side post/chase a big total. Hence, you can bank on highest individual score in the match to be over 62.5 at odds of 1.85 on (Parimatch).
India top batter – Shubman Gill
India top batter to be Shubman Gill at odds of 3.6 (Parimatch)
Shubman Gill must have been gutted to miss out on a spot in the T20 World Cup squad and will be keen on proving his mettle. Moreover, he has been named the captain of the team and will have to lead from the front for his side. Gill was in great form in the Indian Premier League scoring 426 runs leading the Gujarat Titans in the 2024 edition at a strike rate of 147.4.
He will be looking to carry similar confidence not only in the first T20I but also throughout the series. Gill has also played 14 T20Is for India smashing 335 runs at a strike rate of 147.5 with a fifty and century each to his name.
With Zimbabwe’s bowling attack not much experienced coupled with Gill’s amazing talent, you can bank on the Indian captain to become the top batter of India at odds of 3.6 on (Parimatch).
Zimbabwe top batter – Sikandar Raza
Zimbabwe top batter to be Sikandar Raza in the match at odds of 3.65 (20Bet)
Zimbabwe have not considered two of their senior players – Sean Williams and Craig Ervine – for selection in this series. This puts a lot of responsibility on their captain Sikandar Raza who is a veteran especially in this format. Whenever Raza does well, Zimbabwe ends up winning the match and it is important for the hosts that he clicks.
Raza has played a staggering 86 T20Is scoring 1947 runs with 14 fifties to his name and is the most experienced player in Zimbabwe’s line-up at the moment. Hence, you can back him to be the top batter for Zimbabwe at the odds of 3.65 on (20Bet).
Ravi Bishnoi total wickets
Ravi Bishnoi total wickets to be Over 1.5 in the match at odds of 1.8 (22Bet)
Ravi Bishnoi, for a brief period, was the number one bowler in the ICC T20I Rankings last year in December. But he hasn’t played for India regularly since then and is back for this series now. Bishnoi’s spin always keeps the opposition batters on the tenterhooks with his variations and varying pace.
The leg-spinner from Rajasthan has played 24 T20Is for India so far picking up 36 wickets at an average of 19.52 and an economy of 7.5 which is more than decent in modern day cricket.
Bishnoi wasn’t at his best playing for Lucknow Super Giants in the IPL picking up 10 wickets in 14 matches. But he will be eager to improve his numbers especially while playing for India. Zimbabwe batters being vulnerable to spin bowling will also play into his hands. Hence, we are backing Ravi Bishnoi to pick at least two wickets in the first T20I at odds of 1.8 on (22Bet).
Total Ducks
Total ducks to be over 1.5 in the match at odds of 2.25 (22Bet)
India and Zimbabwe are facing each other after a long time in the format. Moreover, most of the first-choice India players are not playing this series having won the T20 World Cup recently. Quite a few players are also expected to make their debut in the shortest format.
Zimbabwe too have some batters extremely new to international cricket and can crumble in front of a potent bowling attack of the visitors. Due to this, one can easily expect two or more batters to bag a duck in this game. We are backing at least two batters to bag a duck at the odds of 2.25 on (22Bet).
- Indian Rupee as a currency
- Very Competitive odds
- Website available in Hindi
- Indian Rupee as a currency
- Very Competitive odds
- Website available in Hindi