Zimbabwe humiliate India by seven wickets
By IANSThursday, June 3, 2010
HARARE - India suffered a humiliating seven-wicket loss against Zimbabwe in the fourth One-day International of triangular series here Thursday.
A slow start and poor running between the wickets saw India getting 194 for nine in 50 overs. Ravindra Jadeja scored a crucial 51 after openers Dinesh Karthik (33) and Murali Vijay (21) found it tough to adjust to the slow nature of track at the Harare Sports Club.
Zimbabwe strolled to an easy win after openers Brendan Taylor (66) and Hamilton Masakadza (74) added 128 runs for the first wicket as the hosts registered their second win over India in the tournament and that too with a bonus point. India now have to beat Sri Lanka by a huge margin in their mext match to qualify for the final.
Zimbadwe spinners, especially Greg Lamb (3-45), bowled an excellent line as India were reduced to five for 95 in 28th over.
Lamb removed both Karthik and Vijay, who scored at a painstaking pace. Some poor running between the wicket saw in-form Rohit Sharma (13) and Suresh Raina (3) back in the pavilion before Jadeja took the centre-stage for his rescue act.
Jadeja hit three boundaries and two sixes in the later stages to bring the score closer to 200 before being caught by Masakadza off Blignaut’s bowling.
Zimbabwe openers were not in hurry agaisnt the Indian bowling attack, that never threatened.
Taylor and Masakadza kept the scoring well above the required run rate with some beautiful stroke play - the former pulling Umesh Yadav for a huge six over the midwicket boundary in the eighth over.
Pragyan Ojha was the pick of the Indian bowlers, giving away just 35 runs in his 10 overs. The left-armer picked up Taylor, caught at long-off, after a well-made 74 that included half-a-dozen boundaries and a six.
Masakadza reached his 16th ODI fifty in 75 balls, before smashing the hapless Amit Mishra for back-to-back sixes in the 30th over.
Charles Coventry came up with a quick-fire 20 and captain Elton Chigumbura with wicketkeeper Tatenda Taibu were able to knock off the winning runs with more than 11 overs to spare.
