Zimbabwe defeat Ireland to take T20 series lead

Second Twenty20 international, Harare

Zimbabwe 141-7 (19.2 overs): Munyonga 43, Young 4-24, Tector 1-5

Ireland 137-8 (20 overs): Tucker 46, Gwandu 3-24, Sikandar Raza 2-22

Zimbabwe win by three wickets

Scorecard

In their second Twenty20 international against Ireland, Tony Munyonga led Zimbabwe to a three-wicket victory.

Ireland batted first and set a chase of 137 after the opening T20 was canceled due to rain.

Ireland put four wickets under the thumb of Craig Young, but the hosts held on for the win with a 43-run victory over Zimbabwe.

Zimbabwe can win the three-match series in the final T20 between the sides on Tuesday, while Ireland require victory to draw the contest.

As light rain briefly interrupted play and the hosts won the toss, Ireland lost captain Paul Stirling in the final ball of the first over.

Before Brian Bennett caught the Irish wicketkeeper while he was on 46 in the 13th over, Harry Tector, who was dismissed in the seventh over on 28 and Lorcan Tucker, combined to put Ireland just shy of a ton.

As Zimbabwe took a flurry of late wickets as Ireland’s innings came to an end with a score of 137-8, George Dockrell, Neil Rock, Gareth Delany, and Graham Hume all fell inside the final three overs.

Young helped Ireland get off to a blistering start by defeating Tadiwanashe Marumani, Wesley Madhevere, and Bennett to leave Zimbabwe at 14-3. He was only selected for the T20 squad after Mark Adair was injured.