Kohli and Rayudu built an unbeaten 50-run stand for the third wicket to lead the chase.
Tendai Chatara and Michael Chinouya dismissed openers Shikhar Dhawan and Rohit Sharma respectively to give India a blow.
Dhawan (35) smashed hard a length ball by Chatara but unfortunately was caught by Vusi Sibanda.
Debutant Chinouya scalped the wicket of Sharma to mark his foray into the international circuit. The batsman fell for 14 runs while chasing a target 184 against Zimbabwe.
Sharma's poor form continued in the series when he edged a widish delivery to the wicket-keeper. It was another failure for the opener who had scored 20 and 1 runs in the previous two ODIs.
Earlier, a disciplined show by the Indian bowlers saw them bowl out Zimbabwe for a paltry 183.
Amit Mishra was the most impressive of the lot, returning figures of four for 47, while Sean Williams top-scored for Zimbabwe with 45 off 53 balls.
Leading 2-0 in the five-match series, skipper Virat Kohli's decision to bowl on winning the toss was vindicated as his pacers struck twice in the first two overs at the Harare Sports Club.
While R Vinay Kumar accounted for Vusi Sibanda even before the hosts could open their account, Mohammed Shami sent back the other-wise reliable Sikander Raza when he had the opener caught behind by Dinesh Karthik.
Hamilton Masakadza (38) and skipper Brendan Taylor (23) added 65 runs for the third wicket to stabilise the innings before Jaydev Unadkat struck with the scoreboard reading 67 for three in the 16th over.
The Zimbabwean captain, who stood his ground after Shami leapt to his left from mid-off to pull off a catch, walked back after the third umpire upheld the on-field umpires' decision. Taylor hit three fours during his 44-ball knock.
Taylor's dismissal was the beginning of slide as Zimbabwe lost three more wickets quickly, with leg-spinner Mishra taking two of them off successive balls.
Coming in to bowl his first over of the match, Mishra tasted success immediately as Masakadza, trying to cut a short of length delivery, edged it to the keeper as the hosts lost their top four batsmen within the first 20 overs. The batsman struck five fours off 53 balls.
Malcolm Waller was out next ball as Mishra had the batsman trapped in front for a golden duck with a googly, leaving the Zimbabweans reeling at 80 for five in the 20th over.
Ravindra Jadeja made it 89 for six as the slow left-arm spinner hit Elton Chigumbura on the pads with one that might have missed the leg stump because of the angle
Williams then added 36 runs for the seventh wicket with Prosper Utseya (10), before the latter was snared by Shami.
Jadeja's flat throw from the square leg did Williams in as the batsman fell short of the crease at the striker's end after battling it out for 79 minutes. Williams hit two fours and a six during his fighting knock.
The Zimbabwe tail wagged before the innings came to an end.
Apart from Mishra, Shami picked up two wickets while there was one apiece for Vinay, Jadeja and Unadkat.
(with PTI inputs)
0 comments:
Post a Comment