The Sunday News
Mehluli Sibanda in Harare
Zimbabwe 168 v India 173/1 (42.3/50 ov).
India won by 9 wickets (with 45 balls remaining)
A maiden century from man of the match, opener Kannanur Lokesh Rahul saw India triumph by nine wickets over Zimbabwe in the first Killer Cup One Day International match at Harare Sports Club yesterday. Rahul struck a huge six which landed on the changing room roof off the bowling of part time medium pace bowler Hamilton Masakadza to bring up his
maiden hundred to finish with exactly an unbeaten 100 runs not out from 115 deliveries, an innings made up of seven fours and one six. The right hander put on an unbroken partnership of 162 runs for the second wicket with Ambati Rayudu who made an unbeaten 62 runs as India scored 173 for the loss one wicket to cruise to victory with 45 balls to spare.
It was the fifth occasion that India had floored Zimbabwe by such a margin or higher but it was the first time it had happened at Harare Sports Club. Former captain Elton Chigumbura, coming in to bat at number seven top scored with 41 runs off 64 balls, an innings containing one four as Zimbabwe, who lost the toss and were put in to bat struggled and were eventually all out for 168 in 49.5 overs.
So pathetic was the Zimbabwe batting show with the other notable scores being the 23 from Sikandar Raza and the 20 by Craig Ervine. Zimbabwe never got going from losing their first wicket in the first over with just eight runs on board, Peter Moor out leg before wicket to left arm seamer Barinder Sran for three runs from five deliveries. Former skipper Hamilton Masakadza put on 22 runs for the second wicket with Chamunorwa Chibhabha, a partnership ended when Masakadza fell to Dhawal Kulkarni, taken behind by wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni for 14 off 21 balls.
From the first Powerplay that is the opening 10 overs, Zimbabwe managed 32 runs at a not so impressive run rate of 3.2 runs per over. Chibhabha perished for 18 off 42 deliveries when his off stump was knocked over by Jasprit Bhumrah in the 14th over, Zimbabwe on 47 runs for three.
Just to show how Zimbabwe found the going tough with the bat, their 50 runs came off 15.4 overs. Vusumuzi Sibanda went for five runs off 21 balls, attempting to cut a short and wide delivery from Bhumrah and only succeeded in getting an edge to Dhoni behind who took the catch, Zimbabwe four down with 69 runs on the board.
Ervine tried to accelerate the scoring rate and that resulted in his demise, the left hander removed by left arm spinner Axar Patel who had him taken in the deep by substitute fielder Faiz Fazal in the deep. Zimbabwe raised their 100 runs in 31.3 overs as the run rate remained at just over three runs per over.
Just when Zimbabwe looked to build a partnership, Sikandar Raza had his middle stump uprooted by Barinder Sran to bring an end to a 36 run partnership for the sixth wicket with Chigumbura.
Richmond Mutumbami compiled a 27 ball 15 runs before he fell to Yuzvendra Chahal, taken at mid off by KL Rahul. Skipper Graeme Cremer tried to guide the ball down the leg side only to leave his stumps exposed to be bowled by Kulkarni for eight runs.
Chigumbura was given a reprieve on 36 runs when he was caught in the deep off the bowling of Bhumrah only for the bowler to be adjudged to have overstepped in his delivery stride. The big hitting former captain went in the last over, Bhumrah getting the last laugh as he hit the top of the stumps.
Tendai Chatara was the last man out, Bhumrah with his fourth wicket with the catch coming from Ambati Rayudu. Bhumrah was the most outstanding Indian bowler with four wickets for 28 runs in 9.5 overs, Kulkarni and Sran had two wickets apiece while Patel and Chahal had one wicket each.
India, needing 3.30 runs per over, opened their batting with debutants Karun Nair and Lokesh Rahul. Chatara struck in his third over, removing Karun Nair for seven runs who was snared at extra cover by Raza.
With plenty overs, to chase down their target, India did not make a hurry for the finish line as shown by them being on 27 runs for one in 10 overs of the first Powerplay. Seamer Chibhabha could even afford a maiden in his second over.
