Dhawan, Unadkat help India to comfortable win
Shikhar Dhawan and Dinesh Karthik starred with the bat while Jaydev Unadkat did well with the ball as India defeated Zimbabwe by 58 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match ODI series. Put in to bat, India suffered a top-order collapse before Dhawan (116) and Karthik (69) put on a 167 run stand for the 5th wicket to lift India to a commanding 294/8. In reply, Zimbabwe could only manage 236/9 in the available 50 overs, despite half-centuries from Vusi Sibanda (55) and Prosper Utseya (52*). Jaydev Unadkat was the top wicket-taker for the visiting team, picking up 4/41 while Amit Mishra (2/46) also did well.
The hosts got off to a solid start in pursuit of the daunting target with Sibanda and Sikandar Raza batting positively. They added 45 runs for the opening wicket before Unadkat delivered the first blow in the 11th over by dismissing Raza for 20. The visitors though had to wait for a while before making their second breakthrough as Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza put on a good stand to keep the Indians at bay.
Sibanda reached his fifty with a hit off Mishra over long-on for six and, in the process, also took his side's total past 100-run mark. However, Zimbabwe could not hold onto their strong position for long as Sibanda once again failed to covert his innings into a big score after dominating the Indian bowlers with his powerful hits. Sibanda, who had escaped with a missed stumping chance after jumping down the track to Mishra, fell to Unadkat in the 21st over.
Zimbabwe's innings faded rapidly thereafter as Brendan Taylor (0) ran himself out while Ravindra Jadeja and Amit Mishra accounted for Sean Williams and Malcolm Waller respectively. A defiant late-order resistance by Elton Chigumbara (46) and Utseya delayed the inevitable with the duo adding 88 runs for the seventh wicket to frustrate the tourists. However, the former fell to Mohammed Shami before Unadkat finished things off in style, dismissing Kyle Jarvis and Brian Vitori off back-to-back deliveries in the final over, to lead India to a comfortable victory in the end.
Earlier, India had Dhawan, Karthik and Vinay Kumar to thank for getting them to a huge first innings score of 294. Dhawan and Kathik were involved in a massive 167 run stand to help India overcome their top-order setbacks while Vinay applied the finishing touches with a blitzy 12-ball 27 as India finished with a massive score. Dhawan smashed his 3rd ODI hundred in the process, but luck played its part as Zimbabwe put down as many as 3 chances the left-hander offered. The Delhi-lad, however, continued unperturbed as he led the Indian recovery in fine fashion. Karthik too played a fine hand in India getting back on track with his fine fifty.
The duo were left to do all the hard-work after Zimambwe pacers struck regularly at the start to leave India struggling on a seaming wicket. Brian Vitori had struck off his very first ball in the match to send back Rohit Sharma for just 1. Virat Kohli too followed soon after, albeit in controversial circumstances. The India skipper looked good to survive after it seemed that the ball had not carried clearly to fielder Malcolm Waller but the umpires found no issue with it and he out. India's innings went from bad to worse as Ambati Rayudu and Suresh Raina too followed in quick succession to leave India reeling at 65/4 in the 17th over.
With India in a precarious position, Dhawan and Karthik eased the pressure with some clever batting. The duo rotated the strike well and ensured India made progress at a steady rate. They soon brought up their hundred run stand and started to put pressure on the Zimbabweans with a few big shots. Both batsman used the reverse sweep to good effect as India started to eye a score in excess of 250.
The left-hander soon opened up and started to carve up the Zimbabwe attack at will. Karthik too joined in the party smacking back-to-back boundaries in the 40th over to take India past 200 runs. Zimbabwe struck against the run of play, however, as Karthik was out run-out for 69. Dhawan too, who had notched up his 3rd ODI hundred, fell soon after to leave India with much work to do to ensure they have a strong finish. Kohli's men looked set to end with around 270, but Vinay Kumar gave India a big boost by helping smash 23 runs off the last over to give India 294.
Shikhar Dhawan and Dinesh Karthik starred with the bat while Jaydev Unadkat did well with the ball as India defeated Zimbabwe by 58 runs to take a 2-0 lead in the five-match ODI series. Put in to bat, India suffered a top-order collapse before Dhawan (116) and Karthik (69) put on a 167 run stand for the 5th wicket to lift India to a commanding 294/8. In reply, Zimbabwe could only manage 236/9 in the available 50 overs, despite half-centuries from Vusi Sibanda (55) and Prosper Utseya (52*). Jaydev Unadkat was the top wicket-taker for the visiting team, picking up 4/41 while Amit Mishra (2/46) also did well.
The hosts got off to a solid start in pursuit of the daunting target with Sibanda and Sikandar Raza batting positively. They added 45 runs for the opening wicket before Unadkat delivered the first blow in the 11th over by dismissing Raza for 20. The visitors though had to wait for a while before making their second breakthrough as Sibanda and Hamilton Masakadza put on a good stand to keep the Indians at bay.
Sibanda reached his fifty with a hit off Mishra over long-on for six and, in the process, also took his side's total past 100-run mark. However, Zimbabwe could not hold onto their strong position for long as Sibanda once again failed to covert his innings into a big score after dominating the Indian bowlers with his powerful hits. Sibanda, who had escaped with a missed stumping chance after jumping down the track to Mishra, fell to Unadkat in the 21st over.
Zimbabwe's innings faded rapidly thereafter as Brendan Taylor (0) ran himself out while Ravindra Jadeja and Amit Mishra accounted for Sean Williams and Malcolm Waller respectively. A defiant late-order resistance by Elton Chigumbara (46) and Utseya delayed the inevitable with the duo adding 88 runs for the seventh wicket to frustrate the tourists. However, the former fell to Mohammed Shami before Unadkat finished things off in style, dismissing Kyle Jarvis and Brian Vitori off back-to-back deliveries in the final over, to lead India to a comfortable victory in the end.
Earlier, India had Dhawan, Karthik and Vinay Kumar to thank for getting them to a huge first innings score of 294. Dhawan and Kathik were involved in a massive 167 run stand to help India overcome their top-order setbacks while Vinay applied the finishing touches with a blitzy 12-ball 27 as India finished with a massive score. Dhawan smashed his 3rd ODI hundred in the process, but luck played its part as Zimbabwe put down as many as 3 chances the left-hander offered. The Delhi-lad, however, continued unperturbed as he led the Indian recovery in fine fashion. Karthik too played a fine hand in India getting back on track with his fine fifty.
The duo were left to do all the hard-work after Zimambwe pacers struck regularly at the start to leave India struggling on a seaming wicket. Brian Vitori had struck off his very first ball in the match to send back Rohit Sharma for just 1. Virat Kohli too followed soon after, albeit in controversial circumstances. The India skipper looked good to survive after it seemed that the ball had not carried clearly to fielder Malcolm Waller but the umpires found no issue with it and he out. India's innings went from bad to worse as Ambati Rayudu and Suresh Raina too followed in quick succession to leave India reeling at 65/4 in the 17th over.
With India in a precarious position, Dhawan and Karthik eased the pressure with some clever batting. The duo rotated the strike well and ensured India made progress at a steady rate. They soon brought up their hundred run stand and started to put pressure on the Zimbabweans with a few big shots. Both batsman used the reverse sweep to good effect as India started to eye a score in excess of 250.
The left-hander soon opened up and started to carve up the Zimbabwe attack at will. Karthik too joined in the party smacking back-to-back boundaries in the 40th over to take India past 200 runs. Zimbabwe struck against the run of play, however, as Karthik was out run-out for 69. Dhawan too, who had notched up his 3rd ODI hundred, fell soon after to leave India with much work to do to ensure they have a strong finish. Kohli's men looked set to end with around 270, but Vinay Kumar gave India a big boost by helping smash 23 runs off the last over to give India 294.
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