Harare: India overcame Sikandar Raza's spirited 115 runs knock to win the third and final ODI in Harare by 13 runs on Monday.
Raza, partnering with Brad Evans, sketched up a 104-run 8th wicket stand in just 77 balls, which gave a scare to the visitors, but they held their nerves at the end and broke the pair's dream to cross over the line.
Batting first, India scored 289/8 in 50 overs with the help of Shubnam Gill's 130 runs knock which was his first maiden ODI ton and also highest by any Indian batsman. The Delhi lad struck 15 boundaries and a six in his 97-ball knock.
Raza had luck in his side as he survived a close stumping call off Kuldeep Yadav, batting on 23 off 31 balls. He also survived being caught behind appeals in two different overs off the same bowler.
Taking advantage of India's lost chances, Raza pounded Indian bowlers and soon reached his fifty and bludgeoned Shardul Thakur, plundering 20 runs in one of his overs, which placed Zimbabwe in a winning position, having to get 95 off 60 balls.
India were under the pump, misfielding and giving away no-balls as Raza made merry along with Evans at the other end rotating the strike.
Raza struck a six over cover off Deepak Chahar to reach his century off 87 balls as the equation reduced to 52 off 30 balls.
After a couple of massive hits of Avesh Khan and Shardul, Raza lost Evans' wicket when Zimbabwe required 17 off 12 balls.
Gill poured water on the dreams of Raza to take his side home when he plucked a superb diving catch at long-on, giving Shardul his only wicket of the match and ninth for his team. Avesh bagged the last wicket as he dismissed Victor Nyauchi.
Earlier, Chahar gave an early breakthrough by trapping Innocent Kaia leg-before via DRS in the third over. Sean Williams and Takudzwanashe Kaitano attacked Indian bowlers as they added 29 off 21 balls before the latter retired hurt complaining of cramps.
Williams kept the run flow intact by targeting Chahar and Shardul. His partner Tony Munyonga had a sedate start before cutting loose. He smashed two successive boundaries off Deepak Hooda.
India put pressure on the hosts with quick wickets. First they had Williams who made 45 runs before he was adjudged LBW while trying to flick Axar Patel. Avesh had Munyonga who lost his wicket on a miscued shot to mid-off.
Batting first, India lost openers KL Rahul and Shikhar Dhawan after putting up 63 for the opening wicket.
Gill, who walked to the crease, played flamboyantly, executing his trademark elegant shots as he helped India make good progress. Ishan Kishan, on the other hand, played watchfully.
Gill reached his maiden ODI century in 51 balls, but took only 30 balls to score his next 50 fifty. Kishan also upped the ante bringing up his second ODI half-century off 61 balls, after he scored just 9 off 21 balls.
India lost two quick wickets. Kishan was unfortunately run out at the non-striker's end on the same ball that Gill reviewed to reverse a leg-before decision, which ended a 140-run third wicket stand. Hooda followed suit soon as he was cleaned up by Evans for 1.
But, these dismissals hardly had any impact on Gill who continued with his fireworks. Sanju Samson hit a couple of sixes off Luke Jongwe to power India past 250 in the 46th over before losing his wicket to the same bowler.
Evans bagged the wickets of Axar, Gill and Shardul to finish with a five-wicket haul and prevent India from reaching 300.
Brief scores: India 289/8 in 50 overs (Shubman Gill 130, Ishan Kishan 50, Shikhar Dhawan 40; Brad Evans 5-54) beat Zimbabwe 276 in 49.3 overs (Sikandar Raza 115, Sean Williams 45; Avesh Khan 3-66, Axar Patel 2-30) by 13 runs. (UNI)
