Samson stars as India win Zimbabwe ODI series

HARARE: Wicketkeeper Sanju Samson struck an unbeaten 43 to guide India to a five-wicket victory on Saturday and a series win after the second of three one-day internationals in Harare.

Zimbabwe made a modest 161 after losing the toss and India recovered from losing skipper KL Rahul leg before for one to reach 167-5 with 146 balls remaining.

The result relegates the third match on Monday to a dead rubber, but Zimbabwe will be encouraged after putting up a much better show than two days ago, when they suffered a 10-wicket hiding.

Batting at number six, Samson faced 39 deliveries over 51 minutes and smashed four sixes and three fours.

Opener Shikhar Dhawan and fellow top-order batsman Shubman Gill contributed 33 runs each as India recovered from 5-1 to eventually finish comfortable winners.

Vice-captain Dhawan struck four fours in a brisk innings while the more cautious Gill notched six fours.

Luke Jongwe was the most successful Zimbabwe bowler, taking the wickets of Gill and Ishan Kishan for the loss of 33 runs in four overs.

Score Board

India won the toss

Zimbabwe Innings

Kaitano c †Samson b Siraj 7

Kaia c †Samson b Thakur 16

Madhevere c †Samson b Krishna 2

Chakabva (c)† c Gill b Thakur 2

Raza c Kishan b Yadav 16

Williams c Dhawan b Hooda 42

Burl not out 39

Jongwe b Thakur 6

Evans b Patel 9

Nyauchi run out (Rahul/†Samson) 0

Chivanga run out (Yadav/Krishna) 4

Extras: (lb 4, w 14) 18

Total: 38.1 Ov (RR: 4.21) 161

Fall: 1-20, 8.4 ov, 2-27, 11.1 ov, 3-29, 11.6 ov, 4-31, 12.4 ov, 5-72, 20.6 ov, 6-105, 27.6 ov, 7-129, 32.3 ov, 8-149, 36.6 ov, 9-156, 37.2 ov, 10-161

Bowling: Mohammed Siraj 8-2-16-1 , Prasidh Krishna 6.1-1-28-1, Shardul Thakur 7-0-38-3, Axar Patel 7-1-20-1, Kuldeep Yadav 8-0-49-1

India Innings (Target: 162)

Dhawan c Kaia b Chivanga 33

Rahul (c) lbw b Nyauchi 1

Gill c Evans b Jongwe 33

Kishan b Jongwe 6

Hooda b Sikandar Raza 25

Samson † not out 43

Axar Patel not out 6

Extras: (b 1, nb 1, w 18) 20

Total: 25.4 Ov (RR: 6.50, ) 167/5

Did not bat: Shardul Thakur, Kuldeep Yadav, Prasidh Krishna, Siraj

Fall: 1-5, 1.4 ov, 2-47, 6.3 ov, 3-83, 11.4 ov, 4-97, 13.6 ov, 5-153, 23.3 ov

Bowling: Tanaka Chivanga 7-0-38-1, Victor Nyauchi 4-0-32-1, Luke Jongwe 4-0-33-2, Brad Evans 4-0-21-0, Sikandar Raza 4-0-16-1, Sean Williams 1-0-13-0, Wessly Madhevere 1-0-7-0

Match result: India won by 5 wickets

Player of The Match: Sanju Samson

Umpires: Holdstock, Iknow Chabi