Tamil Nadu batter Abhinav Mukund hailed Shivam Dube’s all-round performance against Zimbabwe in the fifth T20I, which India convincingly won by 42 runs to seal the series by 4-1. Dube smashed a fine cameo of 12-ball 26 with the help of two fours and as many sixes to get India to 167 after Sikandar Raza decided to bowl first.
Dube also contributed with the ball as he returned with impressive figures of 2-25 in his quota of four overs. The right-arm medium pacer accounted for Zimbabwe’s top-scorer Dion Myers and Jonathan Campbell. Dube was awarded Player of the Match for his fine performance.
“That’s what I loved about his conversation with Tino (Mawoyo). He said ‘One ball can change things up with regards to my batting and with my bowling’. He forgot to mention the run-out as well. He was involved in that direct hit from short fine leg to get rid of the big player, Sikandar Raza,” Abhinav Mukund said on Sony Sports.
“So he had a game to remember, and that’s exactly what India are also looking for. It’s always the big thing in Indian cricket, they are looking for that all-rounder. Shivam Dube was hitting spin and hitting pace as well. 26 off 12 was immense at that time of the game and then contributing with the ball and in the field,” the former India opener added.
On the other hand, former Zimbabwe cricketer Tino Mawoyo concurred with Mukund, stating it is not easy for the batters to hit the ground running if they haven’t spent much time in the middle.
“You took the words right out of my mouth because I was going to say we have seen how difficult it is to bat out there if you haven’t been out there before. He hasn’t spent time in the middle prior to today,” he replied.
“You could see he had a game plan when he walked out. He was ultra-positive and he knew that he needed to play an innings that was going to change the innings for India, and that’s exactly what he did. 26 in 12, two fours and two sixes – ‘thank you, now we are out of reach, Zimbabwe’,” Mawoyo said.
India will next take on Sri Lanka in three T20Is and as many ODIs, which will be Gautam Gambhir’s first assignment as the team’s head coach.
