India beat the Zimbabweans Ko(h)(mfortab)li

India made four changes to their playing eleven – Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Ravichandran Ashwin, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Ishant (Shar)made way for a couple of One-day International debutants (Ambati Rayudu and Jaydev Unadkat), Amit Mishra and Mohammed Shami.

Zimbabwe made seven Cha(tara)nges to the eleven that last played the Indians – Charles Coventry, Tatenda Taibu, Greg Lamb, Craig Ervine, Andy Blignaut, Graeme Cremer and Ray Price made way for Vusi Sibanda, Sikandar Raza, Sean Williams, Malcolm Waller, Tino Mutombodzi, Kyle Jarvis and Tendai.

On winning the toss, Virat Kohli, India’s skipper and the player of the match, inserted the visitors.

The first Powerplay of Zimbabwe’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the 10^th over. They scored 27, without the loss of a wicket.

Zimbabwe’s openers put on 50 off 15.5 overs (95 balls). The number of extras they had conceded at that point gave India no reason to be in seventh heaven. While Sibanda’s contribution to the partnership was 20, Raza’s contribution to it was 23.

Seventeen overs into the match, the first drinks break was taken. Zimbabwe had scored 59 without the loss of a wicket at that point. Both Sibanda and Raza were batting on 26 apiece.

Sibanda, whose 72-ball innings included three boundaries, eventually scored 34. A hundred and thirty-one balls into the match, he was trapped leg before wicket by Mishra, who broke the 72-run partnership.

Zimbabwe scored 100 off 28.4 overs (172 balls). The number of extras they had conceded at that point gave India no reason to be in seventh heaven.

Williams, whose 29-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, scored just 15. Fifty-five balls after Sibanda’s dismissal, Suresh Raina broke the 33-run stand.

Raza’s half-century – which included four boundaries – came off 88 balls.

Hamilton Masakadza, whose 12-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, scored 11. Sixteen balls later, Mishra broke the 14-run stand.

Two hundred and two into the match, the second drinks break was taken. Zimbabwe had scored 119 for the loss of three wickets at that point. Raza was batting on 51.

The second Powerplay of Zimbabwe’s innings – which was the batting Powerplay – was between the 36^th and the 40^th over. They scored 39, for the loss of a wicket.

Zimbabwe scored 150 off 37.2 overs (224 balls). India had conceded 11 extras at that point.

Brendan Taylor, Zimbabwe’s skipper, scored a dozen. His 15-ball innings included a boundary. Thirty balls after Masakadza’s dismissal, he was caught by Raina. Unadkat broke the 43-run stand.

Waller had no reason to be in seventh heaven – he scored just a couple. Nine balls later, Shami broke the four-run stand.

Chigumbura, whose 34-ball innings included half-a-dozen boundaries and a six, scored 43. He was unbeaten.

Raza, whose 112-ball innings included half-a-dozen boundaries and a couple of sixes, eventually scored 82. Eighteen balls later, Mishra broke the 10-run stand.

Zimbabwe scored 200 off 46 overs (276 balls). India had conceded a dozen extras at that point.

Mutumbodzi, whose seven-ball innings included a six, scored eight. Nineteen balls later, he was caught by Shikhar Dhawan. Vinay Kumar broke the 29-run stand.

Prosper Utseya, who faced a dozen balls, scored eight. He was unbeaten.

India eventually conceded 13 extras. Zimbabwe scored 228 for the loss of seven wickets off 50 overs. Jadeja bowled 10 wicketless overs, including three maidens. He conceded 33. Raina, who bowled an over, conceded a couple. He picked up a wicket. Vinay bowled nine overs, including a maiden. He conceded 57, picking up a wicket.

Shami and Unadkat bowled 10 overs, including a maiden, each, picking up a wicket apiece. While the former conceded 45, the latter conceded 39. Mishra bowled 10 overs, including a maiden. He conceded 43, picking up three scalps.

The first Powerplay of India’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the first and the 10^th over. They scored 40, for the loss of a wicket.

Dhawan, whose 21-ball innings included three boundaries, scored 17. Thirty-nine balls into the chase, he was caught by Waller. Jarvis broke the 26-run stand.

India scored 50 off 12.1 overs (74 balls). Zimbabwe had conceded four extras at that point.

Rohit Sharma, whose 40-ball innings included a couple of boundaries, scored 20. Thirty-nine balls after Dhawan’s dismissal, he was caught by Taylor. Chigumbura broke the 21-run stand.

Sixteen overs into the match, the first drinks break was taken. India had scored 67 for the loss of a couple of wickets at that point. While Kohli was batting on 24, Rayudu was batting on a run.

India scored 100 off 22.2 overs (135 balls). The number of extras they had conceded at that point gave Zimbabwe no reason to be in seventh heaven. That was, incidentally, the number of extras they eventually conceded.

The third-wicket pair put on 50 off 70 balls. While Kohli’s contribution to the partnership was 29, Rayudu’s contribution to it was 18. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was three.

Kohli’s half-century – which included half-a-dozen boundaries – came off 57 balls.

India scored 150 off 32.5 overs (198 balls).

The third-wicket pair put on 100 off 121 balls. While Kohli’s contribution to the partnership was 56, Rayudu’s contribution to it was 42. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was three.

The second Powerplay of India’s innings – which was the mandatory Powerplay – was between the 36^th and the 40^th over. They scored 25, without the loss of a wicket.

Thirty-seven overs into the match, the second drinks break was taken. India had scored 181 for the loss of a couple of wickets at that point. While Kohli was batting on 90, Rayudu was batting on 47.

Rayudu’s half-century – which included a couple of boundaries – came off 74 balls.

Kohli’s ton – which included 11 boundaries – came off 102 balls.

India scored 200 off 40.2 overs (243 balls).

The third-wicket pair put on 150 off 166 balls. While Kohli’s contribution to the partnership was 93, Rayudu’s contribution to it was 55. Extras’ contribution to the partnership was three.

Kohli, whose 108-ball innings included 13 boundaries and a six, eventually scored 115. A hundred and seventy-one balls later, he was caught by Sibanda. Utseya broke the 159-run partnership.

The fourth-wicket pair didn’t get off the mark. Raina, who faced a couple of balls, didn’t open his account. A couple of balls later, he was caught by Raza off the bowling of Utseya.

Rayudu, whose 84-ball innings included four boundaries, eventually scored 63. He was unbeaten, as was Dinesh Karthik, who scored eight. His 15-ball innings included a boundary.

India, who scored 230 for the loss of four wickets off 44.5 overs, won by half-a-dozen wickets with 31 balls to spare.

Masadakza, who bowled two wicketless overs, conceded 12. Williams, who bowled three wicketless overs, conceded 18. Mutombodzi, who bowled 7.5 wicketless overs, conceded 65. Chatara, who bowled nine wicketless overs, conceded 30.

Chigumbura, who bowled five overs, conceded 30. He picked up a wicket, as did Jarvis, who bowled eight overs, conceding 40. Utseya, who bowled 10 overs, conceded 34. He picked up a couple of scalps.

India led the five-match series 1-0.