admin
A CLASSY maiden ODI cricket century and a stunning catch in the penultimate over of a tense chase from Shubman Gill gave India a thrilling 13-run win to complete a 3-0 whitewash over Zimbabwe after Sikandar Raza’s fighting hundred had brought the hosts back from the dead at Harare Sports Club yesterday.
From 169 for 7 in a chase of 290, Raza’s knock brought Zimbabwe to a point where they needed 15 to win from nine balls. But Raza, having already struck three sixes in reaching 115 off 94 balls, swung a slower ball from Shardul Thakur down the ground and was caught by Gill diving forward from long-on.
It came down to 15 needed off the last over with just one wicket left, and Avesh Khan bowled Victor Nyauchi with a searing yorker that put the seal on India’s 3-0 scoreline.
Chasing 290, Raza led Zimbabwe’s charge almost single handedly from the 18th over on, scoring his third century in six innings and his sixth overall in ODIs even as wickets fell around him. Zimbabwe needed 95 from the last 10 with only three wickets left and Raza and the steadfast Brad Evans brought it down to 52 off 30.
Raza then hit a six over the covers to begin a 12-run 46th over, and brought up his century in the next over as Zimbabwe inched closer. Thakur conceded just seven off the 47th over with his slower ones to make it 33 off 18.
When Raza got strike in the next over, he scooped Avesh wide of short fine leg for four, and then clobbered him over the covers for another six next ball.
An inside edge off Evans’ bat then ran away for four to lift Zimbabwe’s hopes further, bringing the equation down to 17 off 13. Avesh trapped Evans lbw next ball to leave Zimbabwe’s hopes resting entirely on Raza, but his wicket in the next over all but sealed the game for India.
Gill hammered 130 runs off 97 balls as India recovered from a slow start to score an imposing 289 for eight after winning the toss and electing to bat first, before bowling Zimbabwe out for 276 in the last over of the home side’s innings.
Zimbabwe were in the hunt all the way thanks to Raza’s sixth ODI century as he scored 115 from 95 balls, but when he fell in the penultimate over, their chances of a first victory over India since 2010 faded.
It was the closest outcome of the series after India won by 10 wickets in the opening clash on Thursday, followed by a five-wicket triumph with 146 balls remaining in Saturday’s second game. Gill showed expert timing as he drove the home attack to all corners and quickly lifted the run rate after India were 84-2 in the 21st over.
He put on a 140-run partnership for the second wicket with Ishan Kishan, who scored 50, but after that watched a succession of partners depart cheaply as Evans completed his first five-wicket haul in international cricket with figures of 5-54 in his 10 overs.
Zimbabwe’s Sean Williams showed aggressive intent in the home’s team reply, scoring 45 runs off 46 balls, but at 169-7 they looked out of the contest.
That was until Raza and Evans (28) put on 104 for the eighth wicket to drag them back into it, but when they were out within five balls of each other with the victory line in sight, India were able to grab the win.
Seamer Avesh Khan, playing his second ODI, took the last wicket and was the pick of the visitors’ attack with 3-66.
Teams
ZIMBABWE: Takudzwanashe Kaitano, Innocent Kaia, Regis Chakabva (capt, wkt), Sean Williams, Sikandar Raza, Tony Munyonga, Ryan Burl, Luke Jongwe, Brad Evans, Richard Ngarava, Victor Nyauchi
INDIA: Shikhar Dhawan, KL Rahul (capt), Shubman Gill, Ishan Kishan, Deepak Hooda, Sanju Samson (wkt), Axar Patel, Shardul Thakur, Deepak Chahar, Kuldeep Yadav, Avesh Khan. — ESPNCricinfo/AFP
Online Reporter