India beat Zimbabwe; K(oh)linch series

India made no changes to their playing eleven.

Zimbabwe made just one change to the (Micha)eleven that last played the Indians – Kyle Jarvis made way for One-day International debutant Chinouya.

On winning the toss, Virat Kohli, India’s skipper, inserted the hosts.

The first Powerplay of Zimbabwe’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the 10^th over. They had conceded 39, and lost a couple of wickets.

Zimbabwe’s openers didn’t get off the (Ku)mark. Vusi Sibanda, who faced three balls, didn’t open his account. Three balls into the match, he was caught by Shikhar Dhawan off the bowling of Vinay.

Sikandar Raza, who faced three balls, scored a run. Four balls later, he was caught by Dinesh Karthik. Mohammed Shami broke the two-run stand.

Zimbabwe scored 50 off 11.5 balls (71 balls). The number of extras they had conceded at that point gave India no reason to be in seventh heaven.

The third-wicket pair put on 50 off 65 balls. While Hamilton Masakadza’s contribution to the partnership was 23, the contribution of Brendan Taylor, Zimbabwe’s skipper, to it was 21. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was half-a-dozen.

Taylor, whose 44-ball innings included three boundaries, eventually scored 23. Eighty-six balls later, he was caught by Shami. Jaydev Unadkat broke the 65-run partnership.

Ninety-three balls into the match, the first drinks break was taken. Zimbabwe had scored 67 for the loss of three wickets at that point. Masakadza was batting on 36.

Masakadza, whose 53-ball innings included five boundaries, eventually scored 38. Twenty-five balls after Taylor’s dismissal, he was caught by Karthik. Amit Mishra, the player of the match, broke the 13-run stand.

The fifth-wicket pair didn’t get off the mark. Malcolm Waller, who faced a ball, didn’t open his account. The next ball, he was trapped leg before wicket by Mishra.

Elton Chigumbura, who faced eight balls, scored just three. Fifteen balls later, he was trapped leg before wicket by Ravindra Jadeja, who broke the nine-run stand.

Zimbabwe scored 100 off 26.1 balls (159 balls). India had conceded nine extras at that point.

Prosper Utseya, whose 38-ball innings included a boundary, scored just 10. Sixty-two balls later, he was caught by Karthik. Shami broke the 36-run stand.

A hundred and ninety-four balls into the match, the second drinks break was taken. Zimbabwe had scored 125 for the loss of seven wickets at that point. Sean Williams was batting on 41.

The eighth-wicket pair put on eight. Williams, whose 53-ball innings included a couple of boundaries and a six, eventually scored 45. Eleven balls later, Jadeja and Karthik ran him out.

The second Powerplay of Zimbabwe’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the 36^th and the 40^th over. They had conceded 23, without the loss of a wicket.

Zimbabwe scored 150 off 38.1 balls (231 balls). India had conceded a dozen extras at that point.

Brian Vitori, whose 26-ball innings included a couple of boundaries and a six, scored 17. Forty-five balls later, he was caught by Karthik. Mishra broke the 34-run stand.

Tendai Chatara, whose 42-ball innings included a couple of boundaries and a six, scored 23. Four overs later, Mishra broke the 16-run stand.

Chinouya, whose innings included a boundary, had no reason to be in seventh heaven – he scored half-a-dozen. He was unbeaten.

India eventually conceded 17 extras. Zimbabwe were dismissed for 183 off 46 overs. Virat Kohli, who bowled an over, had no reason to be in seventh heaven – he was wicketless, as was Suresh Raina, who bowled a couple of overs, conceding four.

Vinay and Unadkat bowled seven overs each, picking up a wicket apiece. While the former conceded 32, the latter conceded 24. Jadeja bowled 10 overs, including a couple of maidens. He conceded 39, picking up a wicket.

Shami, who bowled nine overs, conceded 25. He picked up a couple of wickets. Mishra, who bowled 10 overs, conceded 47. He picked up four scalps.

The first Powerplay of India’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the 10^th over. They had conceded 51, and lost a wicket.

Rohit Sharma, whose 21-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, scored 14. Thirty-five balls into the chase, he was caught by Taylor. Chinouya broke the 27-run stand.

India scored 50 off 9.2 balls (56 balls). Zimbabwe had conceded four extras at that point.

Dhawan, whose 32-ball innings included five boundaries, scored 35. Fifty balls after Sharma’s dismissal, he was caught by Sibanda. Chatara broke the 40-run stand.

Sixteen overs into the match, the first drinks break was taken. India had scored 71 for the loss of a couple of wickets at that point. While Kohli was batting on 17, Ambati Rayudu had scored a run.

India scored 100 off 22.4 balls (136 balls). Zimbabwe had conceded half-a-dozen extras at that point.

The third-wicket pair put on 50 off 76 balls. While Kohli’s contribution to the partnership was 22, Rayudu’s contribution to it was 25. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was three.

The second Powerplay of India’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the 30^th and the 34^th over. They had conceded 41, and lost a wicket.

Rayudu, whose 54-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, eventually scored 33. Ninety-six balls after Dhawan’s dismissal, he was caught by Vitori, who broke the 64-run partnership.

India scored 150 off 32.4 balls (196 balls). Zimbabwe had conceded eight extras at that point.

A hundred and ninety-eight balls into the match, the second drinks break was taken. India had scored 154 for the loss of three wickets at that point. While Kohli was batting on 48, Rayudu was batting on 16.

Kohli’s half-century – which included four boundaries – came off 80 balls.

The fourth-wicket pair put on 50 off 30 balls. While Kohli’s contribution to the partnership was 25, Raina’s contribution to it was 24. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was a run.

Kohli, whose 88-ball innings included five boundaries and a six, scored 68. He was unbeaten, as was Raina, who scored 28. His 18-ball innings included three boundaries.

Zimbabwe eventually conceded nine extras. India, who scored 187 for the loss of three wickets off 35.3 overs, won by seven wickets with 87 balls to spare. Chigumbura bowled three overs, conceding 21. He was wicketless, as was Utseya, who bowled 10 overs, conceding 41.

Chinouya bowled seven overs, conceding 36. He picked up a wicket. Chatara bowled 7.3 overs, including a maiden. He conceded 34, picking up a wicket. Vitori bowled eight overs, conceding 53. He picked up a wicket.    

India led the five-match series 3-0. In fact, they won the series with a couple of matches to spare.