India defeated Zimbabwe by five wickets in the second ODI at the Harare Sports Club on Saturday thanks to a disciplined bowling performance that was highlighted by Shardul Thakur's three wickets and an unbeaten 43 by wicketkeeper-batter Sanju Samson.
With this victory, India also secures an unbeatable 2-0 series lead, making Monday's game a moot point. This was India's 14th consecutive victory over Zimbabwe in one-day international cricket thanks to the five-wicket triumph.
The visitors were in some difficulty at 97-4 in their pursuit of 167 after Thakur's 3-38 and the other bowlers each claimed a wicket to dismiss Zimbabwe for just 161 in 38.1 overs. However, with 146 balls left, Deepak Hooda (25, including three fours) and Samson (43 off 39 balls, unbeaten), established a 56-run stand to turn the match in India's favour.
K.L. Rahul's promotion to opener backfired as Victor Nyauchi trapped him plumb lbw. Dhawan was active and well used his feet to score four goals. He pulled but was defeated by a well-placed bouncer from Tanaka Chivanga as it skied to the square leg.
Ishan Kishan cheaply left by cutting Luke Jongwe off at the knees. Although Shubman Gill was batting at number three, he was at his most graceful. He showed off his signature short-arm jab while also radiating class with his off-side boundaries and straight-down-the-ground drives using the full face of the bat. Gill's excellent knock ended at 33 as he received a top-edge on a cut to deep third man.
Samson and Hooda worked together to send India over the finish line from 97-4 in 14 overs. By driving a Jongwe delivery into the space between cover and mid-off, Samson earned India's first century. In the 16th over, Hooda ramped a short ball over the keeper for another boundary.
Samson was in his element as he smoked Chivanga for a boundary before smashing Sikandar Raza for another four and then adding a six to it in the subsequent over via the same zone. In the 23rd over, Samson utilised his feet to hammer back-to-back sixes off Sean Williams after Hooda hit Brad Evans for a boundary through cover.
Williams dropped short on the very next ball, and Samson pulled flat over fine leg for another six. Samson completed the chase in spectacular fashion with a big six over long-on to decide the match and the series in India's favour, despite Hooda being castled by a yorker from Raza to break the 56-run partnership for the fifth wicket.
When Takudzwanashe Kaitano and Innocent Kaia were forced to bat first and faced the new ball, they were wary, especially when Mohammed Siraj made the ball swing away brilliantly.
When Siraj curved the ball away to square up Kaitano, he made the first significant progress. The batter could only nick behind, and Samson dived full length to his left to make an incredible one-handed catch.
Innocent Kaia was outpaced by Thakur's short ball down the leg, and Samson received the ball behind him. When captain Regis Chakabva, who had moved up in the batting order, was nicked to second slip by extra bounce in the 12th over, he got his second wicket.
Wesley Madhevere attempted to defend but was nicked behind by Prasidh Krishna, causing Zimbabwe's problems to worsen. The hosts lost their top four batsmen for just 11 runs. Zimbabwe lost half of their team for 72 runs as Kuldeep Yadav's in-form batsman Raza sliced straight to backward point.
Williams used three boundaries and a six in an attempt to counterattack. But in an effort to go big, he slogged right into Hooda's deep square leg. Deepak Chahar was replaced by Thakur, who struck again by shattering Jongwe's stumps. Patel then took his maiden wicket when Evans chopped onto Jongwe's stumps.
Brief scores: Zimbabwe 161 all out in 38.1 overs (Sean Williams 42; Ryan Burl 39 not out; Shardul Thakur 3-38, Deepak Hooda 1-6) lost to India 167-5 in 25.4 overs (Sanju Samson 43 not out, Shikhar Dhawan 33; Luke Jongwe 2-33, Sikandar Raza 1-16) by five wickets