India registered a narrow four-run victory over Zimbabwe in the first of the three-match One-Day International (ODI) series at the Harare Sports Club on Friday.
Put in to bat, India scored 255/6 in their allotted 50 overs with Ambati Rayudu scoring an unbeaten 124. He was well supported by all-rounder Stuart Binny (77) as the duo put up a 160-run partnership.
In reply, the hosts batted well but fell short by four runs despite an unbeaten 104 from skipper Elton Chigumbura. Binny and spinner Axar Patel took a couple each for the visitors.
Left struggling on 87 for five mid-way through the first innings the duo of Rayudu and Binny stitched a 160-run partnership for the sixth wicket to salvage the innings and set Zimbabwe a 256-run target.
Coming in to bat at No. 3, Rayudu anchored the innings while Binny eased the pressure off by playing the role of the aggressor. Having systematically gained control of the innings with a composed batting display they upped the ante with eight overs left in the innings to take the visitors to a total that seemed a tough ask earlier at the start of the innings. The late acceleration that brought 80 runs made the difference in the final analysis as Elton Chigumbara led a fight back with an unbeaten century but failed to take the hosts across the line.
Defending the par score, Bhuvneshwar claimed Chamu Chibhabha with an outswinger in the fifth over. The delivery took the outside edge of the opener’s bat through to the slips where Ajinkya Rahane took the catch. Finding it difficult to score off the pacer the hosts’ picked runs off Dhawal Kulkarni to keep adding runs to their tally.
Binny, who replaced Kulkarni was then slammed on the on-side for couple of boundaries by Hamilton Masakadza. However, he accounted for Vusi Sibanda after changing ends couple of overs later. After hitting him for a six, the batsman looking for another big-hit only managed to loft the ball into the hands of mid-on fielder.
Elton Chigumbara and Masakazada then marched on to add 42 until the latter was done in by the turn and bounce of Axar Patel. The experienced No. 3 bat departed hitting the left-arm spinner to Manoj Tiwary at point. In his next the bowler rattled Sean Williams stumps to leave Zimbabwe on 94 for four.
With Chigumbara, Sikandar Raza then added 48 runs for the fifth wicket stand at over five runs per over until Harbhajan Singh struck. Raza had pulled the off-spinner to the boundary before a forward diving catch by Patel running in from deep mid-wicket sent him back after attempting a similar shot off the next ball.
Richmond Mutumbami who replaced Raza was then caught by Harbhajan running in from mid-off to keep India in the reckoning. Looking to build a partnership, with Graeme Cremer, Chigumbara pierced the field.
With the Indian bowlers keeping the flow of runs in check, the run rate crept over eight thus mounting pressure on the home team. Bhuvneshwar brought back into the attack in the death overs, bowled another tight over; keeping the batsmen from unleashing themselves with variations including yorkers.
However, with the Zimbabwe captain milking Kulkarni for 13 runs, the hosts required 32 of 18 balls, when Bhuvneshwar came in to bowl the 48th over. The pacer’s full toss was dispatched to the fence by Chigumbara after Cremer handed him the strike. Murali Vijay missed a tough chance to send the hosts captain back who continued to take on the bowlers.
With the match hanging in balance, Chigumbara reached his second consecutive century. Kulkarni, who had restricted the batsmen to ones and twos, claimed Cremer off the last ball of the pen-ultimate over. With 10 required off the last over Donald Tiripano joined his skipper as Bhuvneshwar ran in hard and conceded only five off the last over with some accurate bowling.
Earlier, the Zimbabwe pacers kept the visitors on a tight leash after asking India to bat. Tinashe Panyangara began with a maiden over while Brian Vitori struggled to find his line. However, the left-arm pacer came back to claim Murali Vijay in his next over. Having found his bearings Vitori forced an edge from the opener through to the slips and Sibanda took the catch at second slip leaving India at nine for one.
Rayudu then joined Rahane who had come out to open the innings. Kept on their toes by the pacers, the pair played circumspectly. Rayudu got off the mark with a boundary down the leg side had to play watchfully as the Zimbabwe pacers bowled a tight line forcing the batsmen to leave the deliveries.
Guiding the ball to the fence at regular intervals, Rahane and Rayudu carefully built the stand. The Indian captain drove Donald Tiripano to the ropes to take the partnership past fifty, but departed chasing the next ball to the slips where Masakadza pouched the catch.
The end of the second-wicket stand triggered a mini-collapse. Manoj Tiwary was sent back by Chamu Chibhabha 14 runs later; plumb lbw. Robin Uthappa followed him back without adding to the scoreboard, run-out while attempting to squeeze in a single. Kedar Jadhav was the next to depart for five. After biding his time before getting off the mark with a well struck four to third-man, he nicked Chibhabha to the wicketkeeper.
Rayudu and Binny ensured a steady flow of runs and as the stand began to take shape the all-rounder creamed Graeme Cremer over long-on for six. Judiciously collecting singles and twos interspersed with regular boundaries the pair kept the score-board moving.
Binny brought-up his maiden ODI fifty with a single off Panyangara while Rayudu slammed the bowler for six and followed up with a four to reach his second ODI century as they accelerated the run rate. In the pen-ultimate over though, Binny departed looking to take on the bowler, but Rayudu saw the team through to the last ball with Patel.
Brief scores:
India 255 for 6 in 50 Overs (Ajinkya Rahane 34, Ambati Rayudu 124*, Stuart Binny 77; Donald Tripiano 2 for 48, Chamu Chibhabha 2 for 25) beat Zimbabwe 251 for 7 in 50 Overs (Elton Chigumbura 104*, Sikandar Raza 37; Stuart Binny 2 for 54, Akshar Patel 2 for 41) by 4 runs.
Man of the match: Ambati Rayudu for his unbeaten 124 to set-up the match in India's favour.
