Sanju Samson’s well-worked fifty and Mukesh Kumar’s disciplined spell helped India end their Zimbabwe tour with a comprehensive 42-run victory in the fifth and final T20I in Harare on Sunday. With this victory, India closed the series 4-1. Samson’s (58, 45b) was instrumental in India’s healthy 167 for six, along with Shivam Dube’s eye-catching 26 (12b). Then India’s bowlers led by Mukesh (22/4), Shivam Dube (25/2) and Washington Sundar (7/1) did their job, bundled out Zimbabwe for 125 in 18.3 overs.
After the early dismissal of Wessly Madhevere, who dragged the third ball of the first off by pacer Mukesh onto the stumps, and Brian Bennett, the duo of Tadiwanashe Marumani (27) and Dion Myers (34) added 44 runs for the third wicket to keep the hosts on the hunt.
Marumani’s switch-hit against leg-spinner Ravi Bishnoi, who scored some runs in this match, was quite impressive in its execution.
But those shots were few and far between for Zimbabwe’s hitters.
Marumani attempted a low shot against Washington, but completely missed the line as the ball hit the upper torso and was ruled leg front.
Dube followed Myers with a quicker delivery across his body, and the Zimbabwe batsman just passed the ball to Abhishek Sharma at short third man.
The final nail in their hope was the departure of captain Sikandar Raza (8), who took a four-wicket haul for nine runs.
Mukesh, who achieved a career-best T20 result, aptly ended Zimbabwe’s innings by going through Richard Ngarava’s gate.
Earlier, Samson (1×4, 4×6) and Riyan Parag (22, 24b) added 65 runs for the fourth wicket as India recovered from an average Power Play in which they scored 44 for three.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (12), who made an unbeaten 93 in the fourth T20I, started proceedings with two sixes off the first two balls of the innings bowled by Raza.
But on the fourth ball of the same over, Jaiswal played the wrong line for a delivery through mid-on and leg stump to be bowled.
Abhishek, who was dropped on 10 by Bennett alongside Blessing Muzarabani, didn’t last long, getting past the pacer two balls later to Clive Madande behind the wicket.
Skipper Shubman Gill, who was given a reprieve in the 11th over, was never fluent and smashed left-hand seamer Ngarava straight into the hands of Raza in the deep.
At 44 for three, India needed a partnership to stabilize the innings. Samson and Parag provided just that.
Their alliance revolved around prudence rather than theatricality, choosing the correct way to punish.
It was a wise approach too, considering that the field wasn’t exactly level as in the previous two matches, giving a hint of a turnaround.
However, Sansão showed his aggressive side when the opportunity presented itself.
He hit leg-spinner Brandon Mavuto for two sixes in a row and the second shot was a minor marvel.
Mavuto deflected the ball onto Samson’s leg stump, but the right-hander gave himself enough space to get maximum extra cover.
Samson scored a fifty off 39 balls, his second in T20Is, but Parag departed as India looked for some late acceleration.
The right-hander died to Mavuto while trying to pass the fence, and Sansão was also unable to continue until the end of the shift.
He faced Muzarabani, the most impressive of the home team’s bowlers, but ended up catching Marumani’s fall.
However, tourists found some late steam in Dube’s fireworks.
(Except the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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