A Samson special: Bowlers set it up before batter gives India five-wicket win over Zimbabwe

Harare, August 20

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Powered by Sanju Samson’s unbeaten 43 and a clinical bowling display led by pacer Shardul Thakur, India sailed to a five-wicket win over Zimbabwe in the second ODI to take an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match series here today.

Good challenge for us as batters, but we bat deep so it wasn’t a worry… It didn’t work (on the changed batting order), I wanted to get some runs but it didn’t happen. Hopefully in the next game KL Rahul, India skipper

It was not quite utter domination like in the first ODI, but the paltry 162-run target meant that the KL Rahul-led Indians did not have to sweat much despite a mid-innings jolt.

With Rahul opting to bowl, comeback man Thakur (3/38) brilliantly set it up as the Indian bowlers skittled out Zimbabwe for 161. In the absence of Deepak Chahar, who missed out after his exploits in the first ODI, Thakur made his presence felt and rocked the Zimbabwe top-order with a double blow in the 12th over.

14 This was India’s 14th straight ODI win over Zimbabwe.

1 This was Rahul’s first international match since his 49-run outing against West Indies in an ODI in February.

Chasing the modest target, Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill then showed flair and authority in the chase. Having posted a 192-run unbroken stand for the first wicket in the first ODI, Dhawan and Gill did not pair up as openers today as Rahul opted to himself open the innings with Dhawan. However, Rahul’s stay was brief as he was trapped leg-before by pacer Victor Nyauchi.

Dhawan and Gill then added 42 runs for the second wicket off 29 balls, both scoring 33 runs each. But they could not steer the team home as India endured some anxious moments in the middle following the departure of Dhawan.

Luke Jongwe (2/33) produced a double blow, dismissing Ishan Kishan (6) and a well-set Gill in successive overs, to reduce India to 97/4 at the drinks break.

With just 65 runs needed from 36 overs, Deepak Hooda and Samson produced a sensible 56-run stand off 58 balls to seal the fate of the match.

With nine runs left to win, Hooda was yorked by Sikandar Raza but Samson remained unbeaten on 43, wrapping up the match with a six off leg-spinner Innocent Kaia in the 26th over.

This was Rahul’s first international match since his 49-run outing against West Indies in an ODI in Ahmedabad on February 9.

Brief scores: Zimbabwe: 161 (Williams 42; Thakur 3/38); India: 167/5 (Samson 43*; Jongwe 2/33).