Finance
With an incredible sixth ODI century from all-rounder Sikandar Raza, India survived the scare to win the third and final ODI by 13 runs and complete a 3-0 series sweep of Zimbabwe. Zimbabwe were down and out in the run chase at 169-7 after Shubman Gill’s top-class 130 lifted India to 289-8.
Raza came in and smashed 115 off 95 balls, including nine fours and three sixes, to put Zimbabwe on the verge of a massive victory. He also shared a 104-run stand off 79 balls with Brad Evans (28), who had earlier taken his maiden five-for in ODI cricket (5-54) in front of a boisterous home crowd.
With 33 needed off the final three overs, India took the last three wickets, including Evans and Raza, in consecutive overs to complete a narrow victory as Zimbabwe fell just short of the line. Avesh Khan took 3-66 for the visitors, while Kuldeep Yadav, Axar Patel, and Deepak Chahar each took two wickets, and Shardul Thakur had a scalp to his name.
Chahar gave India its first breakthrough by lbw-trapping Innocent Kaia after changing the decision on review. Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Sean Williams connected on fours off Chahar and Avesh. However, shortly after getting a top-edge for six off Avesh, Kaitano walked off the field with a left leg injury.
Williams, the senior pro, and Tony Munyonga put on a 46-run stand for the second wicket to get Zimbabwe back on track. While Williams feasted on Chahar and Thakur’s pace, Munyonga lofted down the pitch and steered late through the third man to hit consecutive fours off Deepak Hooda’s lone over.
Williams was trapped lbw off a Patel ball that was quick on stumps and kept low after hitting another four off Thakur, departing for 45. Munyonga miscued to mid-off off Avesh in the next over, as Zimbabwe lost two wickets in as many balls.
Patel took a sharp catch off his own bowling to dismiss captain Regis Chakabva while Kaitano was stumped, repeating the two wickets in two overs incident.
Williams, the senior pro, and Tony Munyonga put on a 46-run stand for the second wicket to get Zimbabwe back on track. While Williams feasted on Chahar and Thakur’s pace, Munyonga lofted down the pitch and steered late through the third man to hit consecutive fours off Deepak Hooda’s lone over.
Williams was trapped lbw off a Patel ball that was quick on stumps and kept low after hitting another four off Thakur, departing for 45. Munyonga miscued to mid-off off Avesh in the next over, as Zimbabwe lost two wickets in as many balls.
Raza, on the other end, took his time settling in before taking two fours off Patel. He was fortunate to survive a lbw appeal and, later, a stumping chance off Kuldeep. Raza welcomed Chahar into the attack with a huge six over deep midwicket. From there, he relied on strike rotation to score 20 runs off Thakur in the 39th over, including three fours on a no-ball and free-hit.
He followed that with crisp fours off Avesh and a flat inside-out six over extra-cover from Chahar. Raza got his third century in the last six matches with a single through cover off Thakur, keeping Zimbabwe in the chase. He then proceeded to take Avesh for four and six more as a famous victory loomed for Zimbabwe.
Avesh fought back by lbw trapping Evans with a slower ball. In the next over, Thakur delivered the knockout blow by catching Raza for 115, as Gill timed his forward dive at long-on to perfection for a low catch. Avesh then clinched India’s victory with a yorker that rattled Nyauchi’s stumps.
Brief scores: India 289-8 in 50 overs (Shubman Gill 130, Ishan Kishan 50; Brad Evans 5-54, Victory Nyauchi 1-48) beat Zimbabwe 276 all out in 49.3 overs (Sikandar Raza 115, Sean Williams 45; Avesh Khan 3-66, Axar Patel 2-30) by 13 runs
Source:OCN
