ZIM vs IRE

Right so, that was yet another thriller of a game between Ireland and Zimbabwe here at the Harare Sports Club and Zimbabwe held their nerve in the end to clinch the much anticipated series win and the bragging rights! They missed out on a lot of key players like Raza, Muzarabani, Williams, Ballance throughout the series but the guys coming in their places put their hands up and did the job. Ryan Burl has been a revelation for the Chevrons in this series as he was the top wicket taker with the ball and won them the game with the bat today. The two sides will now be moving on to the ODI series at the same venue with a lot of big names coming back. Ireland will be having the services of Paul Stirling, Lorcan Tucker and Josh Little while Zimbabwe will get back the duo of Sikandar Raza and Gary Ballance. Stay tuned to Sportskeeda's live coverage for the series until then!

Craig Ervine, Zimbabwe Captain- Every series win means a lot to us! The crowd here was unbelievable today and it was a pleasure playing in front of them! It was a great opportunity for some of the guys to come in and put their hands up and they did that pretty well. It's always a good feeling chasing down totals twice in a series and Ryan Burl was brilliant with the bat and got us over the line. Unfortunately Sean Williams will be missing out on the ODI series but hopefully we'll have Sikandar Raza and Gary Ballance back in the squad.

Ryan Burl has been adjudged both the Player of the Match and the Player of the Series! Here is what he has to say.

Ryan Burl: Very happy that all the hard work from an individual point of view paid off in this team win! Always great to keep some of this batting in the locker and bring it out when the need arises! Fielding has been a great friend of ours right through the series and the improvement is showing. Hopefully now, this confidence rubs off on our ODI series coming up. 

Andy Balbirnie (Ireland captain): We probably left a few runs out there but we were a bit off colour with the bowling to be honest, right through the week. The toss did not really have much of an impact in the outcome of the series, this was a good wicket right through the forty overs I felt. As far as giving George Dockrell the third last over, I back him fully and this was  a one-off as far as I am concerned. Josh Little comes back for the ODI series, and we are looking forward to that. 

Zimbabwe 146/6 in 19 overs
Craig Ervine 54(43) | Benjamin White 2/26
Ryan Burl 30 not out(11) | Barry McCarthy 2/32

Unbelievable scenes here at the Harare Sports Club as Zimbabwe have thumped Ireland by 4 wickets and have secured a famous series win! It wasn't easy for them as Ireland made a real match of it despite having a small total to defend but in the end they got their with some time to spare. Skipper Craig Ervine led from the front with a well compiled 50 and he anchored the chase for the major part of the innings. Kaia made a nice little contribution at the top as he gave Ervine some company with his 23. But in the end it all came down to the Man from Marondera as Ryan Burl once again rose to the occasion, this time  with the bat in hand. Burl grabbed the momentum in the 18th over as he smashed George Dockrell for two back to back sixes and that all but sealed the game for the Zimbabweans. In the end, the last rites were completed by Luke Jongwe who hit an imperious four to give Zimbabwe the series win.

Ireland fought hard with the ball and they had their moments! However they couldn't hold on to their nerves and some tactical errors from their Skipper, especially giving Dockrell the 18th over , cost them dearly. Harry Tector was once again the pick of the bowlers for them as he bowled a really economical spell and also picked up the key wicket of Innocent Kaia. Mark Adair too was tidy with the ball but in the end it all came down to the 18th over where Zimbabwe got 19 runs and sealed the deal.

This will go down as one of the more satisfying series wins in Zimbabwe's T20 history and they will cherish this one for a long time to come. They lost two key batters coming into this game but Skipper Ervine and Ryan Burl stood tall for them and produced some remarkable performances to win the game. Burl in particular has been unbelievable and could also be the player of the series.

Spare of thought for the Irish who played their part in the series but just fell short in the end! They will be disappointed with their batting effort and will be looking back at those key moments where they lost the momentum. They will have to get their act together quickly and try and come back strong for the ODI series.

18.6 Barry McCarthy to Luke Jongwe, FOUR RUNS! AND ZIMBABWE TAKE BOTH THE MATCH AND THE SERIES! Full on middle, angling in, but this was in the slot, Jongwe stepped forward to go for it, then went through the line of that one with the full extension of the arms, got it right from the middle of the bat and sent it miles in the air and deep into the long-on area to finish it off in style! And Harare Sports Club has gone into a frenzy! The Zimbabwean players run out on to the field and there is pure joy and ecstasy on show from the home team! Dejection and disappointment though, at the other side of the story, for Ireland! 

18.5 Barry McCarthy to Clive Madande, KNOCKED HIM OVER! Full and straight on leg, Madande goes for another big one over mid-on, catches fresh air with the bat and misses, but finds his leg-stump totally castled after that! 

Clive Madande b Barry McCarthy 5(7b 1x4 0x6)

18.4 Barry McCarthy to Clive Madande, FOUR RUNS! Full on off, and Madande gives it a big go from the crease on  the front foot, and connects superbly to get it to the left of mid-on for a boundary down to long-on! 

18.3 Barry McCarthy to Clive Madande, OH! Good length ball on off, this goes just over the stumps after Madande misses the big swing across the line from the crease! No run. 

18.2 Barry McCarthy to Clive Madande, full on middle, heaved off the cue end of the bat to short mid-wicket, from the crease, for no run again. 

18.1 Barry McCarthy to Clive Madande, over the wicket, full and angling in to leg, and the heave across the line gets missed, but there is no leg-bye to be had. Perhaps there was an inside edge too! 

Barry McCarthy [3.0-0-23-1] back into the attack.

Ryan Burl has done it all series with the ball for Zimbabwe but today he is showing his class under pressure with the bat! This has been remarkable hitting from the big left hander and he has almost got Zimbabwe on the brink of a famous series victory here.