Cricket often celebrates the David-versus-Goliath narrative, where underdogs rise to the occasion and challenge the might of established giants. Nowhere is this truer than in the encounters between Zimbabwe and India. Despite India’s cricketing supremacy, Zimbabwe has etched some memorable moments in international cricket by toppling the odds on several occasions. In this post, we explore the riveting statistics from various formats—Tests, ODIs, and T20s—detailing both team performances and standout individual achievements.
Head-to-Head Overview
The overall contest between Zimbabwe and India spans all three formats, reflecting a stark contrast in fortunes:
| Format | Matches | India Won | Zimbabwe Won | Draw/Tie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TEST | 11 | 7 | 2 | 2 |
| ODI | 66 | 54 | 10 | 2 |
| T20 | 13 | 10 | 3 | 0 |
| Total | 90 | 71 | 15 | 4 |
ICC Events Performance
In high-stakes ICC tournaments, India has largely dominated the encounters with Zimbabwe:
| Event | Matches | India Won | Zimbabwe Won | Draw/Tie |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ODI WC | 9 | 8 | 1 | 0 |
| T20 WC | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 10 | 9 | 1 | 0 |
Test Match Showdown
Test cricket is revered for its endurance and tactical depth. In the encounters between Zimbabwe and India, both teams have posted remarkable highs and challenging lows.
Highest Team Scores (Test)
| Team | Score | Opposition | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 609/6d | vs Zimbabwe | Nagpur |
| India | 570/7d | vs Zimbabwe | Nagpur |
| India | 554 | vs Zimbabwe | Bulawayo |
| India | 537/7d | vs Zimbabwe | Delhi |
| Zimbabwe | 503/6 | vs India | Nagpur |
Lowest Team Scores (Test)
| Team | Score | Opposition | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zimbabwe | 146 | vs India | Delhi |
| Zimbabwe | 161 | vs India | Harare |
| Zimbabwe | 173 | vs India | Bulawayo |
| India | 173 | vs Zimbabwe | Harare |
| Zimbabwe | 182 | vs India | Nagpur |
Batting Brilliance (Most Runs in Test)
| Player | Innings | Runs | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Andy Flower | 18 | 1138 | 232* |
| Rahul Dravid | 13 | 979 | 200* |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 14 | 918 | 201* |
| Grant Flower | 16 | 565 | 106* |
| Shiv Sundar Das | 10 | 560 | 110 |
Top Averages (Test)
| Player | Innings | Runs | Highest Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vinod Kambali | 1 | 227 | 227.00 |
| Sanjay Bangar | 3 | 107 | 107.00 |
| Sanjay Manjrekar | 1 | 104 | 104.00 |
| Rahul Dravid | 13 | 979 | 97.90 |
| Andy Flower | 18 | 1138 | 94.83 |
Bowling Dominance (Most Wickets in Test)
| Player | Innings | Wickets | Best Figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anil Kumble | 14 | 38 | 5/63 |
| Harbhajan Singh | 14 | 31 | 6/62 |
| Jawagal Srinath | 13 | 30 | 5/60 |
| Heath Streak | 16 | 30 | 6/73 |
| Irfan Pathan | 4 | 21 | 7/59 |
Best Economy Rates (Test)
| Player | Matches | Overs | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anil Kumble | 7 | 370.1 | 2.32 |
| Harbhajan Singh | 7 | 313 | 2.43 |
| Jawagal Srinath | 8 | 330.4 | 2.60 |
| Heath Streak | 9 | 326.1 | 2.72 |
| Zaheer Khan | 6 | 174 | 3.29 |
ODI Battles
India’s superiority in the One Day format against Zimbabwe is evident from the numbers, with the Men in Blue securing 54 wins out of 66 matches.
Team Score Highlights (ODI)
Highest Team Scores:
| Team | Score | Opposition | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 333/6 | vs Zimbabwe | Guwahati |
| India | 319/6 | vs Zimbabwe | Mohali |
| India | 306/5 | vs Zimbabwe | Ahmedabad |
| India | 301/3 | vs Zimbabwe | Cuttack |
| India | 301/6 | vs Zimbabwe | Rajkot |
Lowest Team Scores:
| Team | Score | Opposition | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zimbabwe | 65 | vs India | Harare |
| Zimbabwe | 123 | vs India | Harare |
| Zimbabwe | 126 | vs India | Harare |
| Zimbabwe | 133 | vs India | Harare |
| Zimbabwe | 135 | vs India | Mumbai |
Batting and Bowling Records (ODI)
Most Runs:
| Player | Innings | Runs | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sachin Tendulkar | 34 | 1377 | 146 |
| Sourav Ganguly | 36 | 1367 | 144 |
| Andy Flower | 35 | 1298 | 145 |
| Alistair Campbell | 37 | 1227 | 105* |
| Grant Flower | 38 | 1165 | 102 |
Highest Averages:
| Player | Innings | Runs | Highest Average |
|---|---|---|---|
| MS Dhoni | 3 | 208 | 208.00 |
| Ambati Rayudu | 7 | 369 | 123.00 |
| Shubman Gill* | 3 | 245 | 122.50 |
| Kapil Dev | 5 | 233 | 116.50 |
| Ravindra Jadeja* | 4 | 175 | 87.50 |
Most Wickets:
| Player | Innings | Wickets | Best Figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ajit Agarkar | 26 | 45 | 4/18 |
| Heath Streak | 35 | 39 | 5/32 |
| Anil Kumble | 23 | 34 | 4/33 |
| Zaheer Khan | 15 | 32 | 4/42 |
| Jawagal Srinath | 17 | 30 | 3/35 |
Best Economy Rates:
| Player | Matches | Overs | Economy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Anil Kumble | 23 | 208.2 | 4.38 |
| Ajit Agarkar | 26 | 242.2 | 4.50 |
| Heath Streak | 35 | 299.1 | 4.95 |
| (Minimum – 1000 balls) |
T20 Encounters
The T20 format is all about rapid-fire action, and India has once again outclassed Zimbabwe in head-to-head showdowns.
Team Performances (T20)
Highest Team Scores:
| Team | Score | Opposition | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| India | 234/2 | vs Zimbabwe | Harare |
| India | 186/5 | vs Zimbabwe | Melbourne |
| India | 182/4 | vs Zimbabwe | Harare |
| India | 178/5 | vs Zimbabwe | Harare |
| Zimbabwe | 170/6 | vs India | Harare |
Lowest Team Scores:
| Team | Score | Opposition | Ground |
|---|---|---|---|
| Zimbabwe | 99/9 | vs India | Harare |
| India | 102 | vs Zimbabwe | Harare |
| Zimbabwe | 111/9 | vs India | Harare |
| Zimbabwe | 115/9 | vs India | Harare |
| Zimbabwe | 115 | vs India | Melbourne |
Explosive Batting (T20)
Most Runs:
| Player | Innings | Runs | Highest Score |
|---|---|---|---|
| Chamu Chibhaba | 7 | 172 | 67 |
| Shubman Gill* | 5 | 170 | 66 |
| Sikandar Raza* | 10 | 163 | 46 |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal* | 3 | 141 | 93* |
| Dion Myers* | 5 | 134 | 65* |
Highest Strike Rates:
| Player | Innings | Runs | Best Strike Rate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harbhajan Singh | 1 | 8* | 266.66 |
| Surya Kumar Yadav* | 1 | 61 | 244 |
| Shivam Dube* | 1 | 26 | 216.66 |
| Faraz Akram* | 2 | 31 | 193.75 |
| Timycen Maruma | 1 | 23 | 176.92 |
Bowling and Wicket Tally (T20)
Most Wickets:
| Player | Innings | Wickets | Best Figures |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mukesh Kumar* | 3 | 8 | 4/22 |
| Washington Sundar* | 5 | 8 | 3/15 |
| Axar Patel* | 6 | 7 | 3/17 |
| Blessing Muzarabani* | 6 | 7 | 2/19 |
| Sikandar Raza* | 10 | 7 | 3/25 |
Best Bowling Figures in a Series:
| Player | Wickets | Economy | Year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Mukesh Kumar* | 8 | 7.37 | 2024 |
| Washington Sundar* | 8 | 5.16 | 2024 |
| Barindar Sran | 6 | 5.12 | 2016 |
| Avesh Khan* | 6 | 7.54 | 2024 |
| Ravi Bishnoi* | 6 | 5.57 | 2024 |
Individual Records Across Formats
Test Match Personal Bests
Highest Runs in an Innings (Test):
| Player | Runs |
|---|---|
| Andy Flower | 232* |
| Vinod Kambli | 227 |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 201* |
| Rahul Dravid | 200* |
| Andy Flower | 183 |
Highest Wickets in an Innings (Test):
| Player | Wickets |
|---|---|
| Irfan Pathan | 7/59 |
| Harbhajan Singh | 6/62 |
| Heath Streak | 6/73 |
| Irfan Pathan | 5/58 |
| Jawagal Srinath | 5/60 |
ODI Standout Performances
Highest Runs in an Innings (ODI):
| Player | Runs |
|---|---|
| Kapil Dev | 175* |
| Dinesh Mongiya | 159* |
| Md. Azharuddin | 153* |
| Sachin Tendulkar | 146 |
| Andy Flower | 145 |
Highest Wickets in an Innings (ODI):
| Player | Wickets |
|---|---|
| Amit Mishra | 6/48 |
| Irfan Pathan | 5/27 |
| Heath Streak | 5/32 |
| Sourav Ganguly | 5/34 |
| Eddo Brandes | 5/41 |
T20 Individual Feats
Highest Runs in an Innings (T20):
| Player | Runs |
|---|---|
| Abhishek Sharma* | 100 |
| Yashasvi Jaiswal* | 93* |
| Ruturaj Gaikwad* | 77* |
| Suresh Raina | 72* |
| Chamu Chibhabha | 67 |
Highest Wickets in an Innings (T20):
| Player | Wickets |
|---|---|
| Barinder Sran | 5/10 |
| Ravi Bishnoi* | 4/13 |
| Mukesh Kumar* | 4/22 |
| Jasprit Bumrah* | 3/11 |
| Avesh Khan* | 3/15 |
Frequently Asked Questions
- Has India ever lost to Zimbabwe in cricket?
Yes, Zimbabwe has managed to register multiple victories over India in international cricket. Notably, under the leadership of Sikandar Raza, Zimbabwe secured its first T20I win against India back in 2015. - Where can I watch Zimbabwe vs India matches?
The broadcasting rights for these matches are held by Sony Entertainment Private Limited. Fans can catch all live action on the Sony Sports Network. - What is the highest team score recorded in the India vs Zimbabwe T20 encounters?
During the 2024 Zimbabwe tour, India posted an impressive 234/2 in a T20 match, which stands as the highest T20 score between the two teams. - Did India achieve a 10-wicket victory over Zimbabwe?
Indeed, in the second T20 game of 2024, stellar performances by openers Yashasvi Jaiswal (93*) and Shubman Gill (58*) paved the way for India’s first-ever 10-wicket win in T20 Internationals against Zimbabwe. - Is India richer than Zimbabwe in cricketing terms?
Absolutely. The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) is recognized as the wealthiest cricket board globally, with an estimated valuation of INR 18,000 crores. In contrast, the Zimbabwe Cricket Board (ZCB) is valued at around INR 317 crores as of 2024.
Final Thoughts
The cricketing rivalry between Zimbabwe and India is a testament to the unpredictable nature of the sport—where passion, strategy, and occasional underdog triumphs create unforgettable moments. While India’s record across formats highlights its dominance, Zimbabwe’s sporadic yet significant victories add an exciting twist to the narrative.
As both teams continue to evolve and write new chapters in their cricketing history, fans can look forward to more thrilling contests on the international stage. Stay tuned for further updates and detailed analyses as this dynamic rivalry unfolds.
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Cricket isn’t just a sport; it’s a playground for stories, and I’m here to tell them with humor, creativity, and a touch of flair. Whether it’s the thrill of an IPL last-over finish or the quirks of a rising star, my words bring the game alive for the next-gen audience. Like an unorthodox stroke that surprises the bowler, my take on cricket is anything but predictable. And if you ask what’s on my mind—well, cricket, always cricket! 🏏🔥
