S Gill’s 130 helps India beat Zimbabwe by 13 runs. Sikandar Raza’s heroic 115 went in vain

India beat Zimbabwe by 13 runs in the final ODI and won the series 3-0. S Gill’s(130) maiden ODI century helps India to post 289/8 in 50 overs. In reply India overcome Sikandar Raza’s heroic innings of 115 and bowled them out for 276 in 49.3 overs. S Gill named Player of the match and player of the series.

K.L.Rahul Indian captain won the toss and elected to bat first. He and S Dhawan put together 63 runs in 15 overs. B Evans dismissed both the openers. S Gill (130) and I Kisan (50) put together 140 runs from 127 balls for the third wicket helps India to post 289/8. Brad Evans (10-0-54-5) bowled well by picking 5 wickets for Zimbabwe.

In reply Zimbabwe lost their opener Innocent Kaia(6) cheaply and T Kaitano retired hurt when he was batting on 12. S Willams brought Zimbabwe back by scoring 45 runs off 46 balls. A Patel trapped him infront of the stumps when the score was 82. Zimbabwe then lost wickets quickly and fell down to 169/7.

Sikandar Raza’s 115(95) and B Evans 28(36) partnership of 104 runs in just 77 balls brought them closer to the target. Avesh Khan broke the partnership by dismissing B Evans and S Gills excellent catch in long on off S Thakur in the next over ends S Raza’s magnificant innings and Zimbabwe’s hopes. Avesh Khan finishes the match by cleaned bowled Victor Nyauchi in the third ball of last over.

Indian spinners Kuldeep Yadhav (2/38) and Axar Patel (2/30) was very economic in their 20 over spell. D Chahar (2/75) who was player of the match in first ODI picked two wickets but very expensive in his spell. Avesh Khan (3/66) and S Thakur (1/55) are the other wicket takers.