Harare, Jul 14 (IANS): Fast-bowler Mukesh Kumar picked his career-best figures in T20Is through a spell of 4-22 as India beat Zimbabwe by 42 runs in the fifth and final game at the Harare Sports Club to win the series 4-1.
Vice-captain Sanju Samson smashed his second T20I fifty through a 45-ball 58, while Shivam Dube hit a quick cameo of 26 at the end to power India to a competitive 167/6. In reply, Mukesh struck twice with the new ball to put Zimbabwe in early trouble.
Dion Myers and Tadiwanashe Marumani kept Zimbabwe in the hunt, but a collapse saw the hosts’ go from 85/3 to 94/7 and be eventually run-out for 125 in 18.3 overs, as India got a series win after losing the opening match by 13 runs.
Mukesh gave India a brilliant start in their defence of 163 when Wesley Madhevere chopped on to his stumps in the opening over. The pacer came back in the third over to have Brian Bennett flashing hard at outside the off-stump and was caught by third man. He could have got his third wicket if he hadn’t overstepped while castling Myers.
Myers and Marumani hit seven boundaries between themselves to lead Zimbabwe’s fight with a 44-run stand off 36 balls for the third wicket. But Washington Sundar broke the partnership by trapping a sweeping Marumani lbw with a slower delivery in the ninth over.
Myers hit Abhishek Sharma for a four and six to keep Zimbabwe on track, but Shivam Dube took him out in the 13th over with a short ball cramping the batter for room and was caught off a leading edge by backward point.
Sikandar Raza being run out in a mix-up with Johnathan Campbell by a direct hit from Dube, who took out the latter in the next over was a jolt Zimbabwe couldn’t recover from. From there, Abhishek and Tushar Deshpande got a wicket each, while Mukesh took two scalps to finish with a four-fer in another convincing win for India.
Brief Scores: India 167/6 (Sanju Samson 58, Shivam Dube 26; Blessing Muzarabani 2-19, Richard Ngarava 1-29) beat Zimbabwe 125 in 18.3 overs (Dion Myers, Faraz Akram 27; Mukesh Kumar 4-22, Shivam Dube 2-25) by 42 runs