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Led by bowler Shardul Thakur, India secured yet another impressive five-wicket win over Zimbabwe to seal their three-match ODI series with one match yet to be played. However, it was not a pleasant return for stand-in skipper KL Rahul, who only managed to score just one run in five balls despite chasing a meagre total of 161 runs.
Batters shine without KL Rahul
Despite losing their captain so early in the game, Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill steadied the ship to set up a 42 runs partnership off just 29 balls. But soon after, with the score reading 47 runs, Dhawan fell to a short ball by Tanaka Chivanga, pulling the ball but skying it into the air. Innocent Kaia eventually caught the ball at square leg.
Next to go was the out-of-form Ishan Kishan, who once again failed to display his prowess with the bat. Luke Jongwe bowled him with a ball that was full and outside off, and scored just six runs in 13 balls for India.
By then Gill had settled into the game and was freely scoring as wickets fell around him. But the young gun's innings were cut short after scoring 33 runs, with Jongwe also grabbing his second wicket of the game. Gill tried to cut a ball that was Short and wide outside off but found the top edge instead as the ball went straight to Brad Evans' throat.
Deepak Hooda, Sanju Samson rescue game
With the top order almost eliminated, Zimbabwe seemingly had a glimmer of hope from this match as they looking to salvage the game. But both Deepak Hooda and Sanju Samson joined the party and eventually played some classy shots to ensure that India went home with a 14th straight win over Zimbabwe, and another ODI series win, after beating West Indies (before IPL), England and West Indies (after IPL).
Samson and Hooda raked up a 56-run partnership off 58 balls before Hooda was dismissed by Sikandar Raza with a slow over. He managed to score 25 runs off 36 balls before Samson wrapped up the game with a score of 43 runs in 39 balls, top-scoring for India in a low-scoring affair.
Bowlers hold Zimbabwe batters
Earlier, the Indian bowlers were highly economical but were unable to break the Zimbabwe openers' resilience, before Mohammed Siraj bagged the first wicket to send Takudzwanashe Kaitano back to the pavilion. It was a brilliant ball with a lot of swing as the batter edged the ball straight to wicketkeeper Sanju Samson.
This opened the floodgates for the bowler, who began picking up crucial wickets on regular occasions to keep the Zimbabweans under pressure. By the 21st over, Zimbabwe were 72 for five before Sean Williams led the mini-comeback alongside Ryan Burl, who hit an unbeaten 39 runs.
Williams ended the Zimbabwe innings with 42 runs in as many balls, but with Shardul Thakur demolishing the top order, the task for Zimbabwe to set a tough target seemed almost important.
