Led by the stellar performances of Sanju Samson, who hit his second T20I half-century, and Mukesh Kumar, who recorded his career-best efforts, India clinched a comfortable 42-run win against Zimbabwe on Sunday at the Harare Sports Club, completing a 4-1 win in the five-match series. India posted a competitive total of 167 for 6 and then showcased a disciplined bowling display to bundle out Zimbabwe for 125.
**The Game Changer: Middle Overs Jinx for Zimbabwe**
Zimbabwe started their chase aggressively but struggled significantly in the middle overs due to regular wickets falling at crucial intervals. During this period, the Indian bowlers maintained tight lines and lengths, making run-scoring incredibly difficult for the hosts. The pressure culminated in Zimbabwe losing four wickets and managing barely a run-a-ball, stalling their momentum drastically. In stark contrast, India’s middle overs featured a stable 65-run partnership which laid the groundwork for a strong finish to their innings.
**Powerplay – Both Teams Experience Early Blows**
India’s innings kicked off with a bang, courtesy of Yashasvi Jaiswal, who hit two sixes off the first two deliveries – one being off a no-ball. However, Zimbabwe struck back swiftly. Sikandar Raza cleaned up Jaiswal in the same over, triggering a mini-collapse. Shubman Gill and Abhishek Sharma, despite steady starts, were also back in the dugout before the end of the Powerplay, leaving India precariously placed at 44/3.
Zimbabwe, too, faced early setbacks in their Powerplay. Wessley Madhevere was dismissed for a duck in the first over, but the hosts responded positively. Brian Bennett struck a couple of crisp fours off Tushar Deshpande before becoming one of Mukesh Kumar’s two early victims. Tadiwanashe Marumani and Dion Myers then took the attack to Ravi Bishnoi, scoring 16 runs in the final over of the Powerplay to bring Zimbabwe’s score to 47/2.
**Middle Overs – Samson and Parag Stabilize India**
With their top three dismissed early, Sanju Samson and Riyan Parag adopted a conservative approach to steady the Indian ship. The Indian duo curbed their aggression as the ball swung around, focusing on rebuilding the innings. Though they couldn’t find the boundary with regular fours, they compensated with timely sixes. Brandon Mavuta bore the brunt of their controlled aggression, conceding four sixes in the middle overs, two of which came off consecutive deliveries from Samson in the twelfth over.
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Conversely, India’s spinners and medium pacers turned the screws on Zimbabwe during the middle overs of their innings, scalping regular wickets. Ravi Bishnoi, Abhishek Sharma, Washington Sundar, and Shivam Dube created a stranglehold, leaving Zimbabwe reeling. Zimbabwe lost set batters Marumani and Myers, and Raza was run out by a sharp throw from Dube at short fine. Jonathan Campbell then fell to Dube, pulling straight to the deep square leg fielder – three wickets in three overs shattered any hopes of a successful chase for Zimbabwe.
**Death Overs – Dube’s Late Surge and Zimbabwe’s Futile Counterattack**
Sanju Samson departed shortly after reaching his half-century, but Shivam Dube took the attack to the opposition in the death overs, alongside Rinku Singh. Dube dispatched a low full toss from Ngarava over long-on, while Rinku hammered Faraz Akram straight down the ground for a six. Their partnership provided the late flourish India needed, pushing the total to a defendable 167/6.
Facing an increasingly daunting target, Zimbabwe’s Faraz Akram launched a spirited counterattack against the Indian bowlers in the death overs. However, by then, the required rate had soared out of reach. Mukesh Kumar returned to the attack and picked up two more wickets, ensuring that Zimbabwe’s innings ended at 125, with nine balls remaining.
**Match Summary and Scores**
India’s innings of 167/6 was built on Sanju Samson’s mature 58 and Shivam Dube’s explosive 26. Blessing Muzarabani was the pick of the Zimbabwean bowlers, finishing with figures of 2-19. Zimbabwe, in their attempted chase, could only reach 125 all out in 18.3 overs. Dion Myers top-scored with 34, and Faraz Akram added a valiant 27. Mukesh Kumar’s brilliant spell of 4-27 and Shivam Dube’s 2-25 anchored India’s bowling effort.
This comprehensive 42-run victory not only sealed the match but also capped a dominating series performance by India, leaving Zimbabwe to ponder what might have been.