ZIMBABWE came agonisingly close to pulling off a shock Twenty20 series win over India as yesterday’ss third and final match in Harare provided sensational final-over drama.The hosts’ hopes of chasing down a target of 139 looked to have been dashed as they required 21 runs from the last six deliveries for victory.
However, Barinder Sran was then taken for six by Timycen Maruma before the India seamer sent down a wide and a chest-high no-ball that was hit for four.
That left just nine needed from five deliveries, although Sran regained his composure before an edged boundary from Elton Chigumbura reduced the target to four from one.
Sadly for Zimbabwe, Chigumbura was unable to find the fence again from the final ball, the former skipper caught at cover off a low full toss to hand India victory by three wickets and a 2-1 series triumph.
Maruma finished unbeaten on 23 from 13 deliveries, having also hit Jasprit Bumrah for six in the penultimate over.
With the exception of Chamu Chibhabha, who fell for five in the third over, all of Zimbabwe’s batsmen made double figures, but Dhawal Kulkarni (2-23 from four overs), Bumrah (0-23) and Axar Patel (1-18) played key roles in keeping the run-rate in check.
India’s score of 138-6 owed much to Kedar Jadhav, who came in at 27-3 and struck 58 from 42 balls. Axar’s unbeaten 11-ball 20 also proved significant as Zimbabwe, for whom Donald Tiripano returned 3-20, came up just short in reply. (Omnisport)