India vs Zimbabwe Man of the Match: The Indian batter won the match award for the second time in international cricket.
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During the third ODI of India’s tour of Zimbabwe 2022 in Harare, India beat Zimbabwe by 13 runs post a nervous finish. A match which could’ve won by either of the two teams was won by the visitors as they managed to keep their nerves when it mattered the most.
Chasing a 290-run target, Zimbabwe were reduced to 169/7 in the 36th over. With another quick finish on the cards, Zimbabwe all-rounder Sikandar Raza (115) and pacer Brad Evans (28) turned the tables by joining hands for a 73-ball 104-run eighth wicket partnership.
Raza, who hit nine fours and three sixes at a strike rate of 121.05, scored his sixth ODI century, fifth at home, fourth at No. 5, third this month and first against India. However, a mind-blowing knock couldn’t steer Zimbabwe to victory as India pacer Shardul Thakur dismissed Raza in the penultimate over to continue his knack of picking wickets at crucial times.
A job well done. Congratulations team India on the clinical series win 👏🏽 🇮🇳
Also @SRazaB24 is a special player, gave the passionate Harare crowd lots to cheer @ZimCricketv 👌🏽🇿🇼 #ZIMvIND pic.twitter.com/3AXaxoLzc1— Wasim Jaffer (@WasimJaffer14) August 22, 2022
Other than Thakur, spinners Axar Patel and Kuldeep Yadav and fast bowler Deepak Chahar picked a couple of wickets at each. However, it was Avesh Khan who emerged as the pick of the Indian bowlers with figures of 9.3-1-66-3.
India vs Zimbabwe Man of the Match
Captain KL Rahul winning the toss and opting to bat first had resulted in India scoring 289/8 in 50 overs earlier in the day. A comparatively slower 63-run opening partnership between vice-captain Shikhar Dhawan (40) and Rahul (30) wasn’t an ideal start for the visitors but Shubman Gill (130) and Ishan Kishan (50) put together a match-winning 127-ball 140-run third-wicket partnership.
Coming in to bat at No. 3 in the 16th over, Gill scored his maiden international century comprising of 15 fours and a six at a strike rate of 134.02. As a result, the 22-year old player was awarded with the Player of the Match award for the second time at the highest level.
“I was just trying to minimize my dot-ball percentage. I just tried to time the ball and not hit it hard. The bat was pretty good and that’s why I changed it after my fifty as I wanted to save it. Always special to get a hundred, I had made three nineties but wanted to get a century,” Gill told the host broadcaster during the post-match presentation ceremony.
