Axar Patel and Harbhajan Singh produced an impressive display of spin bowling as India trounced a hapless Zimbabwe by 54 runs in the first T20 International in Harare on Friday.
Patel, took three for 17 from his four overs, including the key wicket of home skipper Elton Chigumbura, and Harbhajan (2 for 29), back in India's Twenty20 side for the first time in almost three years, ripped through Zimbabwe's batting order, ending the home team's challenge at 124-7 while chasing a target of 179 on a slow track at Harare Sports Club.
Twenty-one-year-old left-arm spinner Patel, one five Indians who made their T20 International debut on the day, and veteran off-spinner Harbhajan virtually ended the match midway into Zimbabwe's run chase with quick strikes.
Chasing a stiff target, Zimbabwe struggled for runs as the Indians bowled a tight line and length after pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar opened the bowling impressively, conceding just four runs in his first spell of two overs.
After showing some early promise, they fizzled out, unable to negotiate the guile of Patel and Harbhajan.
Earlier, after India elected to bat at the Harare Sports Club, Robin Uthappa top-scored with an unbeaten 39 as India posted a challenging total.
Uthappa, who struggled during the ODI series played before these T20 matches, batted sensibly and held the innings together after coming one down in the seventh over.
He shared 45 runs for the third wicket with Manish Pandey (19) to accelerate the Indian innings towards the end after openers Ajinkya Rahane (33) and Murali Vijay (34) provided a good start at the top.
The Indians made a strong start, with captain Rahane and Vijay stitching 64 runs for the opening wicket in seven overs.
Vijay, who was shaping up to play a big innings, fell short of reaching his crease as a brilliant throw from Sikandar Raza from midwicket hit the stumps. He hit five fours and a six in his aggressive 19-ball innings.
Rahane did not take any risks, scoring in singles and twos and rotating strikes before he was out in the 10th over off a fine delivery from leg-spinner Graeme Cremer, the ball drawing him onto the front foot, turning a bit and taking the edge of his bat before looping to point fielder Masakadza for an easy catch.
Zimbabwe slow bowlers then put brakes on the Indian scoring rate with Cremer (1-20 from his four overs) playing the lead role. The Indians could score just 31 runs in five overs from the 10th to 14th over.
It was then left to Pandey and Uthappa to push the Indian score up. While Pandey could not make a substantial contribution, out in the 16th over after scoring a run-a-ball 19, Uthappa made his presence felt with an unbeaten innings.
For Zimbabwe, pacer Chris Mpofu grabbed three wickets for 33 runs from his four overs while Cremer got one.