Makhaya Ntini laments lack of maturity from Zimbabwe batsmen

Following Zimbabwe's abject capitulation in the second Twenty20 International (T20I) on Monday (June 20), Makhaya Ntini, the Zimbabwe head coach, came down heavily at the lack of maturity amongst the batsmen in the side that folded for just 99.

"Shot selection, it's one of the things that me and Zulu (Lance Klusener) are trying to correct and put in them. You don't win a game over one shot. You don't score a 100 over one shot. If someone gets out before you, you are supposed to be the one that takes charge of the game and correct the mistake that the other one has made," Nitini said in a post-match press conference.

Ntini bemoaned the manner in which the experienced duo of Hamilton Masakadza and Sikandar Raza fell in the massive defeat. "It comes with maturity of the batters we have and the experience. You look at Hamilton (Masakadza), the way he got, that's not the way he should've got out. If he could stay there for 10 overs, he could've scored 70 with ease. Yes, Chamu (Chibhabha) took on the field and it hit the toe end of the bat and he got out, that could've been 6 or 4 too.

"But the rest of us, look at (Sikandar) Raza, come on. You see there's a guy put there and you're guiding the ball there. Where is the maturity?," he rued.

Masakadza, the Zimbabwe opener, looked to break the shackles and play a big shot early but was cleaned up by Barinder Sran in the fifth over. Sikandar Raza fell prey to a bit of width offered by Sran just three balls later and hit it to the short third man fielder.

"Those are kind of things we need to get the things into their head. You don't do things for the sake of doing it. Think of the guy who is coming after you. If you can control the eager, this country could be the best ever in cricket," Nitini claimed.