Agencies
NEW DELHI, JULY 12
INDIA produced a comprehensive performance to beat Zimbabwe by 62 runs, clinching the three-match series 2-0 with a game remaining at the Harare Sports Club on Sunday.
Chasing 272 to draw level, Zimbabwe were bowled out for 209 in 49 overs.
A cursory glance at Zimbabwe’s batting record in their past few ODIs is proof enough that when it comes to putting runs on board or chasing, they aren’t pushovers. They were set a stiff and would have backed themselves to chase it down.
However, the start to their innings was a study in contrast. After managing just two runs in the first three overs, opener Chamunorwa Chibhabha cracked three consecutive boundaries off Dhawal Kulkarni in the third over and 16 runs came from it while the next resulted in eight more. Zimbabwe were now 24/0 in five overs.
However, Kulkarni got an early breakthrough for India when he had Vusi Sibanda caught at point for just two. Hamilton Masakadza managed five before becoming Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s 50th ODI scalp while captain Elton Chigumbura, who scored a fighting century in the last game, recorded just nine runs.
At the other end, amidst falling wickets, Chibhabha was playing an altogether different game, scoring sweetly timed boundaries and he went on to complete his 12th ODI fifty. Barring him, none of the Zimbabwean batsmen were able to make an impact. His dismissal when at 72 was a result of a bad call by his partner Sikandar Raza as a direct hit from Ajinkya Rahane caught him short at the non-striker’s end.
Lower down the order, Richmond Mutumbami (32) and Graeme Cremer (27) did contribute but by then it was too late as Bhuvneshwar Kumar wrapped up the proceedings with the wicket of Donald Tiripano finishing with impressive figures of 4 for 33.
Earlier, fifties from captain Rahane and Murali Vijay guided India to 271 for 8 after being inserted in by Elton Chigumbura. Vijay top scored with a career-best 72 while Rahane recorded his 10th ODI fifty as medium-pacer Neville Madziva finished with a career-best 4 for 49.
The home side made one change in their playing XI bringing in medium-pacer Madziva in place of Tinashe Panyangara who sat out due to a side strain while India went unchanged.
The opening pair of Rahane and Vijay started cautiously playing out the early overs safely as the Zimbabwean bowlers kept a probing line. Taking a cue from Ambati Rayudu’s century knock during the first ODI where he bided time before opening up, the duo saw out the early phase safely while recording just four boundaries between them in the first 10 overs. In fact, they maintained the run rate of close to four an over till the 20th over and it was only afterwards that it started climbing up.
Rahane, who threw up a good start in the first ODI, went on to score his 10th ODI fifty today but ended up top-edging Chamu Chibhabha into the hands of cover fielder to depart for 63. Vijay also went on the record a fifty - his maiden in the format. He looked determined to stay put for a big knock as was evident by the single boundary that he scored en route to his half-century.
However, following the dismissal of Rahane, Vijay, who had been a bit recluse for the better part of his knock, lofted Chibhabha over mid off for the first six of the match in the 30th over, signaling the change in tactics. Off the next came 11 runs including another six from the bat of Vijay.
Vijay, whose best before this ODI read 33, went on to score 72 before becoming Madziva’s first victim of the match. The total 159/2 in 33.3 overs and the onus of taking the innings forward fell on last-match centurion Ambati Rayudu and Manoj Tiwary.
Rayudu, who survived a close appeal for lbw and a dropped chance, scored 41 before departing and Tiwary followed him in the next over - the quick blows jolting India’s quest for a late rush.
India were in search for a late onslaught and Stuart Binny and Robin Uthappa scored a boundary apiece in the 44th over, taking eight from the over. However, Madziva produced a brilliant yorker, uprooting Uthappa’s off stump in the 46th over, sending him back for 13 (11b).
Binny collected two more boundaries before his 16-ball knock ended when he launched a full toss from Brian Vitori towards long-on where Sikandar Raza completed a good catch. Madziva bowled a brilliant final over and added two more scalps to his kitty while leaking just five runs as India finished with a total that proved beyond Zimbabwe’s reach.
