India vs Zimbabwe Live Score: 2nd T20, Harare

After clinching the ODI series and winning the first T20, second string India led by Ajinkya Rahane would look to finish the tour on a high.

Hello and welcome to the LIVE coverage from the second Twenty20 between Zimbabwe and India in Harare. Scorecard

Toss and team news: Zimbabwe won the toss and have opted to bat. India have rested Harbhajan Singh as Sanju Samson makes his debut.

Preview: India will hope to end the Zimbabwe tour on a high with a win in the second Twenty20 International at the Harare Sports Club.

A second string India, captained by young batsman Ajinkya Rahane, clinched the three-match ODI series 3-0. The visitors were a superior side in the first T20I too, winning the match by 54 runs. The visitors will have very little homework to do after putting up an impressive show both with the bat and ball so far. But the hosts will look to win a match and redeem some of their bruised pride.

India fielded five debutants Axar Patel, Manish Pandey, Kedar Jadav, Sandip Sharma and Stuart Binny for the T20 match on Friday. Patel made his T20 debut memorable, winning the man of the match award after picking up three wickets giving away just 17 runs.

He was given ample support by veteran offspinner Harbhajan Singh (2 for 29) after experienced batsman-wicketkeeper Robin Uthappa played a responsible 35-ball 39-run knock to guide India to 178 for 5.

Set a target of 179, Zimbabwe could muster only 124 for 7, undone by the slow bowling pair of Patel and Harbhajan. India will aim to capitalise on their batting strength once again, hoping their batsmen would again set up the victory with another strong total.

Rahane and Vijay scored at a fast clip and the onus will be on them once again to provide India a platform. Uthappa will also like to make a big score, after his crucial knock in the first T20.

Zimbabwe need quality performances from batsmen Hamilton Masakadza, Chamu Chibhabha and Vusimuzi Sibanda and bowlers like Prosper Utseya and Tinashe Panyangara. Skipper Elton Chigumbura and Sean Williams will share the dual responsibility of contributing with both bat and ball.

'Filipino Flash’ Donaire stops Settoul in 2nd round

 Former five-division world champion Nonito Donaire of the Philippines showed he was back to his very best with a sensational second-round stoppage of France’s Anthony Settoul in Macau on Saturday.

The 2012 Fighter of the Year improved his record to 35 wins and three defeats (23 KOs) and is now in line for another world title crack, probably for the WBA super bantamweight belt against Britain’s Scott Quigg in Dubai later this year.

The classy and powerful “Filipino Flash” soon had the Frenchman (20-4, 8 KOs) in trouble in the opening round of their scheduled 10-round super bantamweight fight with stunning body shots that twice dropped him to his knees.

In the second round more telling punches to the diaphragm were followed with a bone-shaking right cross to the chin that put Settoul down once more.

Although he bravely managed to just beat the count he was visibly unsteady on his feet, staggering backwards across the ring as his corner threw in the towel to save him from further punishment with 1min 41sec gone in the second.

“We worked really hard for this fight and I did everything I needed to do,” said a barely sweating Donaire afterwards.
“I wanted to set him up with the body shots and finish it from there.”

Two other fighters had very easy nights as their opponents quit in confusing and slightly unsatisfactory fashion.
American-based Russian Denis Shafikov enjoyed an easy win when his Indonesian lightweight opponent Roy Mukhlis decided he no longer wanted to continue halfway through the third round.

Former US Olympian Jose Ramirez had a facile win after also traveling halfway around the world to the southern Chinese city when his Japanese opponent Ryusei Yoshida quit on his stool at the start of the fourth round.
Ramirez (15-0, 12 KOs) was awarded a technical knockout in an anti-climactic end to the junior welterweight contest after catching Yoshida with several heavy shots toward the end of the third round.

Chinese fight fans earlier had plenty to be delighted about at Cotai Arena.
There was a stirring display by local favorite “Macau Kid” Kuok Kun Ng who knocked out awkward southpaw Phompetch Twins Gym two minutes into the fourth round of their welterweight contest.

“KK” as he is known took his record to 8-0 (4 KOs) when he landed a peach of a right uppercut on the Thai southpaw who was out even before he hit the canvas.

And the super flyweight “Wonder Kid” Rex Tso from nearby Hong Kong continued his march toward a world title shot by taking his record to 17-0 (10 KOs) with a fourth-round stoppage of Thailand’s Khunkhiri Wor Wisaruth.

Wimbledon 2015: Sharapova beats Vandeweghe to reach semis

 Former champion Maria Sharapova withstood some heavy hitting from American Coco Vandeweghe to reach her fifth Wimbledon semi-final.

Fourth seed Sharapova was under pressure after losing the second set but recovered to beat the world number 47 6-3 6-7 (3-7) 6-2 on Centre Court.

The Russian, 28, goes on to face Serena Williams or Victoria Azarenka in Friday's semi-finals.

"You have to give everything," said 2004 champion Sharapova.

"You are playing in a Wimbledon quarter-final. It's been a while since I have been in a semi at Wimbledon. I was pleased to win today and it gives me a lot of confidence."
Tracy Austin, two-time US Open champion

"Coco performed very well today. Big things expected from Coco in the future with a result like this. Sharapova loves the challenge of a situation like this. She loves to be able to problem solve and always seems to be able to figure it out."

Sharapova found it hard going against Vandeweghe, who impressed in her first Grand Slam quarter-final as she hit 32 winners and dominated many of the baseline exchanges.

Five-time Grand Slam champion Sharapova was tested from the outset and survived a seven-minute opening game that included four break points.

The Russian proved the more clinical, however, breaking twice in three games to take control of the first set and again to love early in the second.

After working her way to within sight of victory, Sharapova dropped serve to love and a fired-up Vandeweghe dominated the tie-break to set up a decider.

Again, Sharapova's experience showed as she broke three times in the final set, attacking the Vandeweghe first serve with more success to close it out after two hours and 46 minutes.

"I was pretty dominant in the first set and the beginning of the second but things slipped away after that and I had to regroup," said Sharapova, who is through to her first Wimbledon semi-final since 2011.

Tennis: Wimbledon heat on Djokovic, Serena, Sharapova

Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams are targeting quickfire second-round wins at Wimbledon on Wednesday to escape the searing heat, with temperatures expected to soar to a brutal 34 degrees Celsius.
That would equal the highest-ever temperature recorded at Wimbledon, in 1976, the year when Bjorn Borg and Chris Evert reigned as champions.

The heat rule will be introduced, allowing for a 10-minute break between the second and third sets of women's matches. However, the rule does not apply to the men's tour, despite them having to sweat it out over five sets.

Early Wednesday, All England Club chiefs closed the Centre Court roof to keep the 15,000-capacity arena air-conditioned.

But it will be reopened for the start of play at 1200GMT as organisers insist on the integrity of the event as an outdoor grasscourt tournament.

"The Centre Court roof is currently closed to protect the playing surface from the heat. It will re-open at 11.30am. #Wimbledon," the tournament tweeted.

Defending champion Djokovic opens play on Centre Court against Finnish veteran Jarkko Niemenin.

World number 92 Nieminen is playing in his 12th and last Wimbledon having ended the All England Club career of 2002 champion Lleyton Hewitt over five sets in the first round.

Djokovic, also the 2011 champion, has a 5-1 career record over the 33-year-old Nieminen, a quarter-finalist in 2006.

The last time Djokovic lost in the second round at a Grand Slam was at 2008 Wimbledon, when as number three seed he was defeated by Marat Safin.

Fourth seed and French Open champion Stan Wawrinka takes on world number 48 Victor Estrella Burgos, only the second Dominican Republic player to take part in a Grand Slam.

Wawrinka recorded his best Wimbledon performance by reaching the quarter-finals in 2014.

Japanese fifth seed Kei Nishikori takes a 6-1 career lead into his second round match against Santiago Giraldo while 2014 semi-finalist Milos Raonic, the seventh seeded Canadian, faces German veteran Tommy Haas.

At 37 years and 100 days old, Haas is bidding to become the oldest man to reach the third round at a Grand Slam since Jimmy Connors, who was just past his 39th birthday when he made the last 32 at the 1991 US Open.

US Open champion Marin Cilic, the ninth seed, meets Lithuania's Ricardas Berankis in a tussle between two former world junior number ones.

Five-time women's champion and top seed Williams faces Hungary's Timea Babos as she continues her bid to sweep a calendar Grand Slam and a 21st major.

Harbhajan Singh back in blue jersey

Harbhajan Singh will return to One Day International (ODI) arena after a gap of 4 years as his name was up in the squad for the upcoming Zimbabwe series. The senior player is looking forward to bowl in the limited over format game.

"Obviously can't tell you how happy I am that I will be wearing this blue jersey again. I don't know anything apart from playing cricket. This is all I have done in my life and I am happy that I can again try and give my all for India," Harbhajan was quoted saying by rediff.com.

The veteran thinks the Zimbabwe tour call is a big exam for him and he wants to excel in it.  Harbhajan has played 228 ODIs and 102 Tests for India, he'll definitely be the senior most player on the tour as the rest of senior team members have been rested.

“I believe cricket has a similarity with academics. A student studies day and night for his exams after 10 months. The only difference is for a cricketer, there is an exam every third day and you have to be well prepared for every exam. I feel that Zimbabwe series is another exam and I am studying hard to excel," he said.

"If you ask me, there is always pressure when you are making a comeback. As you cross different levels, the pressure increases. That's what happens from junior cricket to first class to international cricket."

He added saying that he wants to help the young cricketers of India who'll be on tour with him. The Turbanator also thinks that exchanging of ideas with the players will help him to cope up with the gap.

"I have always believed in exchange of ideas. I believe that it is my responsibility to help the new crop of cricketers, guide them with my experience and also at the same time learn from them. Cricket is like life. You never stop learning. Till the day, I would play this game, I would not like to stop learning."

Here’s the 15 members squad for the three ODI matches against Zimbabwe. Ajinkya Rahane will lead the lead team in absence of MS Dhoni and Virat Kohli.

ODI squad: Ajinkya Rahane (capt), M Vijay, Ambati Rayudu, Manoj Tiwary, Kedar Jadhav, Robin Uthappa, Manish Pandey, Harbhajan Singh, Axar Patel, Karn Sharma, Dhawal Kulkarni, Stuart Binny, Bhuvneshwar Kumar, Mohit Sharma, Sandeep Sharma.