Harare, Jul 15 (IANS): After India beat Zimbabwe by 42 runs to win the five-match T20I series 4-1, vice-captain Sanju Samson said it was very important for him to build a partnership with Riyan Parag and take the visitors to a fighting total after losing three wickets in Power-play.

At the Harare Sports Club, Samson top-scored with a 45-ball 58 and shared a 65-run stand off 56 balls for the fourth wicket with Riyan Parag to take India to a competitive 167/6 in 20 overs. In reply, India, led by Mukesh Kumar’s 4-22, bowled out Zimbabwe for 125 in 18.3 overs as the visitors got a strong series win after losing the opening match by 13 runs.

“We were three wickets down, so it was very important for me to build a partnership with Riyan, which we did, and then we got to a reasonable total to fight for the game. Our bowlers bowled really well. Honestly, you can't teach them much (about team bonding).”

“You can definitely be around them and stick with them. Whenever you make a relationship, that's when people open up with you. So it's really important for me to behave in a manner where they come and ask me. So it's like a brother-kind of relationship,” Samson said in a video posted by the BCCI on their X account.

Shivam Dube, who played a handy cameo of 26 off 12 balls and took two wickets with his tight medium-pace bowling, as well as threw an important direct hit to get Sikandar Raza run-out, was elated to perform in all aspects. “It was a really good series for me to contribute as a batter and bowler. Overall, I did well as an all-rounder, so enjoyed it very well,” he said.

All-rounder Abhishek Sharma, who made his international debut, promised to work even harder to get more chances of playing for India. "It was my first series that too overseas and then to get a hundred in that in just the second game was special. As a player, your role is to keep working hard. But moments like this motivates me a lot. I am sure this is just the beginning. I will work really hard."

Opener Shubman Gill, who captained India to series win, said Zimbabwe will now be a special country for him. “Kabhi kabhi thoda tight karney ka time hota hai to tight karna bhi zaroori hai (Sometimes we have to tighten up the screws which is also important). I have played with these players across age groups, which made my job as a captain quite easy for me.”

“I scored my first international century here in Zimbabwe. Captaining (India) here for the first time and winning the series is definitely very special for me. If I had to sum up the series in one word, I think it would be spectacular.”