HARARE, Zimbabwe (AP) — India captain Shubman Gill regained his form with a half-century as the tourists beat Zimbabwe by 23 runs Wednesday in the third Twenty20.
Gill scored 66 runs off 49 balls, including seven fours and three sixes, as India notched up 182-4 in 20 overs. Ruturaj Gaikwad also scored 49 off 28 balls.
In reply, Zimbabwe finished with 159-6 as off-spin all-rounder Washington Sundar took 3-15 in four overs. Dion Myers top scored for the hosts with 65 not out off 49 balls, including seven fours and a six.
The win gives India a 2-1 lead in the five-match series. It won the second T20 by 100 runs, after losing the first by 13 runs.
India was bolstered by the inclusion of Yashasvi Jaiswal, Sanju Samson and Shivam Dube, who were part of its T20 World Cup winning campaign.
Opting to bat, Gill and Jaiswal opened the innings with Abhishek Sharma, who scored a maiden century in the previous game, shifting down to No. 3.
Gill and Jaiswal put on 67 off 50 balls for the first wicket. Jaiswal, who didn’t feature in the World Cup, returned to India’s playing XI with 36 off 27 balls. He hit four fours and two sixes.
Zimbabwe skipper Sikandar Raza struck twice in quick succession as India first lost Jaiswal and then Sharma for 10.
Gaikwad, batting at four, then put on 72 off 44 balls with Gill for the third wicket. Gill notched up his highest score of the series, scoring 50 off 36 balls as he anchored the Indian innings.
He was out in the 18th over, trying to gain a march as India crossed 150. Gaikwad and Sanju Samson (12 not out) then scored 24 off 11 balls to help propel the score past 180.
Chasing 183, Zimbabwe was rocked at the start as pacers Khaleel Ahmed and Avesh Khan shared three wickets.
Khan struck twice in two overs as the hosts were down to 19-3 in 3.1 overs. Khan finished with 2-39 from four overs.
Sundar then broke through twice in the middle order, dismissing Raza (15) and Jonathan Campbell (1) as Zimbabwe was reduced to 39-5 in seven overs.
It made a decent recovery thanks to a 77-run partnership off 57 balls between Myers and Clive Madande, who scored 37 off 26 balls.
Sundar again provided the breakthrough as the match slipped from Zimbabwe’s hands. Myers and Wellington Masakadza (18 not out) put on 43 off 21 balls to reduce the margin of defeat.
“It feels amazing to play again for the country," Sundar said. “It was definitely a better batting wicket than the previous two games, so we executed our plans well to restrict them. Hopefully we can seal the series on Saturday.”
The final two T20s will be played on Saturday and Sunday.
AP cricket: https://apnews.com/hub/cricket
Zimbabwe's cricket captain Sikandar Raza tosses the coin while India's Shubman Gill, left, looks on at the Harare Sports Club, Wednesday, July 10' 2024 prior to the start of their third T20 match. (AP Photo/Wonder Mashura)
India's Yashasvi Jaiswal bats, during the third T20 match between Zimbabwe and India, at the Harare Sports Club, in Harare, Wednesday, July 10. 2024. (AP Photo/Wonder Mashura)
India's Shubman Gill plays a ball at the wicket, during the third T20 match between Zimbabwe and India, at the Harare Sports Club, in Harare, Wednesday, July 10. 2024. (AP Photo/Wonder Mashura)
WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate quickly confirmed Marco Rubio as secretary of state Monday, voting unanimously to give President Donald Trump the first member of his new Cabinet on Inauguration Day.
Rubio, the Republican senator from Florida, is among the least controversial of Trump’s nominees and vote was decisive, 99-0. Another pick, John Ratcliffe for CIA director, is also expected to have a swift vote, as soon as Tuesday. Action on others, including former combat veteran and Fox News host Pete Hegseth for defense secretary, is possible later in the week.
“Marco Rubio is a very intelligent man with a remarkable understanding of American foreign policy,” Sen. Chuck Grassley of Iowa, the senior-most Republican, said as the chamber opened.
It’s often tradition for the Senate to convene immediately after the ceremonial pomp of the inauguration to begin putting the new president’s team in place, particularly the national security officials. During Trump’s first term, the Senate swiftly confirmed his defense and homeland security secretaries on day one, and President Joe Biden’s choice for director of national intelligence was confirmed on his own Inauguration Day.
With Trump’s return to the White House, and his Republican Party controlling majorities in Congress, his outsider Cabinet choices are more clearly falling into place, despite initial skepticism and opposition from both sides of the aisle.
Rubio, who was surrounded by colleagues in the Senate chamber, said afterward he feels “good, but there’s a lot of work ahead.”
“It’s an important job in an important time, and I’m honored by it,” Rubio said.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune moved quickly Monday, announcing he expected voting to begin “imminently” on Trump’s nominees.
Democrats have calculated it's better for them to be seen as more willing to work with Trump, rather than simply mounting a blockade to his nominees. They're holding their opposition for some of his other picks who have less support, including Tulsi Gabbard for director of national intelligence and vaccine skeptic Robert F. Kennedy Jr. for health secretary.
Senate Democratic Leader Chuck Schumer said his party will “neither rubber-stamp nominees we feel are grossly unqualified, nor oppose nominees that deserve serious consideration.”
Rubio, he said, is an example of "a qualified nominee we think should be confirmed quickly."
Senate committees have been holding lengthy confirmation hearings on more than a dozen of the Cabinet nominees, with more to come this week. And several panels are expected to meet late Monday to begin voting to advance the nominees to the full Senate for confirmation.
The Senate Foreign Relations Committee unanimously advanced Rubio's nomination late Monday. The Senate Armed Services Committee and Senate Intelligence Committee, respectively, voted to move the nominations of Hegseth and Ratcliffe. And the Homeland Security and Government Affairs Committee advanced nominees Kristi Noem as homeland security secretary and Russell Vought as director of the Office of Management and Budget, but with opposition.
Rubio, a well-liked senator and former Trump rival during the 2016 presidential race, has drawn closer to the president in recent years. He appeared last week to answer questions before the Foreign Relations Committee, where he has spent more than a decade as a member.
As secretary of state, Rubio would be the nation’s top diplomat, and the first Latino to hold the position. Born in Miami to Cuban immigrants, he has long been involved in foreign affairs, particularly in South America, and has emerged as a hawk on China’s rise.
During his confirmation hearing last week, Rubio warned of the consequences of America’s “unbalanced relationship” with China. While he echoes Trump’s anti-globalist rhetoric, Rubio is also seen as an internationalist who understands the power of U.S. involvement on the global stage.
Rubio cultivated bipartisan support from across the aisle, both Republicans and Democrats. He takes over for outgoing Secretary of State Antony Blinken, who has said he hopes the Trump administration continues Biden's policies in the Middle East to end the war in Gaza and to help Ukraine counter Russian nomination.
The Senate is split 53-47, but the resignation of Vice President JD Vance and, soon, Rubio drops the GOP majority further until their successors arrive. Republicans need almost all every party member in line to overcome Democratic opposition to nominees.
Objection from any one senator, as is expected with Hegseth and several other choices, would force the Senate into procedural steps that would drag voting later into the week.
Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri and Mary Clare Jalonick contributed to this report.
President-elect Donald Trump's Cabinet picks, other nominees and appointments, pose for a photo at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, Saturday, Jan. 18, 2025. First row from left, Elise Stefanik, John Ratcliffe, Lori Chavez-DeRemer, Howard Lutnick, Pete Hegseth, Doug Burgum, Brooke L. Rollins, Marco Rubio and Robert F. Kennedy Jr.; second row from left, Scott Turner, Tulsi Gabbard, Sean Duffy, Linda McMahon, Lee Zeldin, Kristi Noem, Chris Wright, Doug Collins, Kelly Loeffler and Scott Bessent; and third row from left, Stephen Miran, Jamieson Greer, Kevin Hassett, Kash Patel and Russell Vought. (AP Photo/Mark Schiefelbein)
Sen. Marco Rubio, R-Fla., a nominee for Secretary of State, attends the 60th Presidential Inauguration in the Rotunda of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, Monday, Jan. 20, 2025. (Kevin Lamarque/Pool Photo via AP)