Getting out KL Rahul early was crucial for Zimbabwe: Donald Tiripano

Rahul, who scored a hundred on ODI debut, was dismissed on first ball during his first T20 game.

Mumbai

: For Donald Tiripano, the 28-year old Zimbabwe's pacer, Lokesh Rahul's wicket in his debut T20 was an icing on the cake.

Rahul had scored a hundred on his ODI debut but had a golden duck on Saturday.

Speaking from Harare, the right-arm medium pacer Tiripano said, \"Firstly I thank God. Just before I ran in I was imagining myself nicking him off, but it happened another way but all the same happy ending.\"

\"All I was thinking was if I get an early wicket it was going to give us a good chance of winning the game and fortunately it worked out.\"

\"It was a key wicket because he was winning matches for India in the past three ODIs and we knew if we take wickets, it was game on\".

Barring KL Rahul and Ambati Rayudu, the other Indian batsmen in playing XI did not get to bat much in the ODIs.

\"I was happy because I clean-bowled him.\"

The Zimbabwean players didn't celebrate their first win of the ongoing T20 victory. Instead, players returned home.

\"There were no celebrations. The celebrations are put on hold. It is 1-0 now. Will celebrate after the series win,\" one of the senior players said.

Only the outstation players stay in the hotel. The players living in Harare go to their homes.

\"We prefer to stay at home rather than in the hotel. Most of the Harare-based players stay close to the ground.\"

\"And yes, this saves Board money too.\"