India defeated Zimbabwe by 13 Runs
What initially seemed like another routine Indian victory soon became a tense battle, with the possibility of India actually slipping to defeat. The credit for that goes to Sikandar Raza, whose brilliant innings single-handedly brought Zimbabwe back into the game. His counterattack not only gave Zimbabwe hope but also ensured fans witnessed a gripping contest that went right down to the wire.
The match where India went out to bat first at Harare Sports Club on August 22, 2022, was a day they put together a solid score of 289 for 8 in their 50 overs. It was a hot day in Harare, and after KL Rahul won the toss, he decided it was best for India to set a target.
The pitch looked decent but had a bit of bounce early on, so the openers, Shikhar Dhawan and Rahul himself, took their time to settle in. Dhawan, with his smooth, flowing style, looked comfortable, picking off boundaries with his classic cover drives. He made 40 runs off 68 balls, hitting five fours, nothing too flashy but steady. Rahul, leading the team, played a more cautious game, scoring 30 off 46 balls.
He managed one four and a big six, showing he could attack when needed. Together, they put on 63 runs for the first wicket, taking their time to see off the new ball. But in the 15th over, Zimbabwe’s Brad Evans got one to nip back, and Rahul was bowled, leaving India at 63 for 1. It was a good start, but now the middle order had to step up. In came Shubman Gill, and boy, did he deliver. From the moment he arrived, he looked like he belonged, playing shots all around the ground with ease. After Dhawan got out in the 21st over, caught by Sean Williams off Evans for his 40, Gill found a great partner in Ishan Kishan.
Gill was on fire, driving through the covers, flicking off his pads, and even lofting a few shots. He got to his fifty in 51 balls with six fours, and he didn’t stop there. Kishan, at the other end, started slowly but grew into his innings, hitting six fours in his 50 off 61 balls. Their partnership was the heart of India’s innings, adding 140 runs for the third wicket. They took India past 100 in the 24th over and 150 in the 34th, keeping the runs flowing. But just when it looked like they’d bat through, Kishan got run out in the 42nd over after a sharp bit of fielding by Tony Munyonga. India were 224 for 3, and it felt like they could push for 300. Things got tricky from there.
Deepak Hooda, coming in at five, didn’t last long, bowled by Evans for just 1 in the 43rd over. That hurt India’s momentum. Sanju Samson, the keeper, tried to get things moving, smashing two sixes in his quick 15 off 13 balls, but he fell to Luke Jongwe in the 46th over, caught by Takudzwanashe Kaitano. Axar Patel couldn’t do much, scoring 1 before Victor Nyauchi got him caught by Sikandar Raza in the 48th over. Shardul Thakur hit two fours in his 9 off 6 balls, but Evans struck again, getting him caught by Nyauchi in the 49th over. Gill, meanwhile, kept going, reaching his hundred in 82 balls with 12 fours.
He eventually fell for 130 off 97 balls, with 15 fours and a six, caught by Kaia off Evans in the 49th over. That left India at 282 for 7. Deepak Chahar, with 1 not out, and Kuldeep Yadav, with 2 not out, saw out the last few balls, getting India to 289 for 8. Zimbabwe’s bowlers worked hard, and Brad Evans was the star, taking 5 wickets for 54 runs in his 10 overs. He got the big names, Rahul, Dhawan, Hooda, Thakur, and Gill. Victor Nyauchi bowled well, giving away 48 runs for 1 wicket, and Luke Jongwe got 1 for 49, nabbing Samson.
Richard Ngarava didn’t get a wicket but went for 58, while Sikandar Raza kept things tight with 39 runs off his 10 overs. The first 10 overs saw India score 41 without losing a wicket, a slow but safe start. The middle overs, from 10.1 to 40, were where India made 169 runs but lost two wickets. The last 10 overs brought 79 runs but cost six wickets, as Zimbabwe fought back. Gill’s big hundred, Kishan’s fifty, and that early stand from Dhawan and Rahul gave India a strong total to defend.
Now, Zimbabwe had to chase 290 against India and it was all about Sikandar Raza’s amazing 115, but they ended up 13 runs short at 276 in 49.3 overs. It was a tough ask, and things started badly when Deepak Chahar got Innocent Kaia out lbw for 6 in the third over, after India used a review to get the decision. Zimbabwe were 7 for 1, and the pressure was on. Takudzwanashe Kaitano hung in there, scoring 13 off 22 balls with a four and a six, but he had to retire hurt, leaving them at 36 for 1.
Sean Williams came in and played like he meant business, hitting seven fours in his 45 off 46 balls. He looked like he could take the game on, but Axar Patel got him lbw in the 17th over, breaking a decent stand at 82 for 2. That was a big blow. Tony Munyonga came in next but couldn’t get going, scratching around for 15 off 31 balls before Avesh Khan got him caught by KL Rahul in the 18th over, making it 84 for 3. Then came Sikandar Raza, and he was a man on a mission.
He started carefully but soon found his groove, hitting shots all over the park. The problem was, he kept losing partners. Regis Chakabva, the captain, made 16 off 27 balls but got out to a brilliant caught-and-bowled by Patel in the 26th over. Kaitano came back but didn’t last, stumped by Ishan Kishan off Kuldeep Yadav for 13 in the 28th over, leaving Zimbabwe at 122 for 5. Ryan Burl struggled for 8 off 16 balls before Chahar got him caught by Dhawan in the 32nd over.
Luke Jongwe tried to fight, hitting a four and a six in his 14 off 13 balls, but Kuldeep had him caught by Shubman Gill in the 36th over, and Zimbabwe were in deep trouble at 169 for 7. But Raza wasn’t done. He found a partner in Brad Evans, and together they put on a stunning 104-run stand for the eighth wicket. Raza got to his fifty off 61 balls, mixing smart singles with cracking boundaries. He kept going, reaching his hundred off 88 balls with eight fours and two sixes.
Evans played his part, scoring 28 off 36 balls with two fours, keeping Raza company as they passed 200 in the 40th over. They added 50 runs in 44 balls and then 100 in 75 balls, with some extras helping. It looked like they might pull off a miracle, but Avesh Khan got Evans lbw in the 48th over for 28, and Zimbabwe’s review didn’t save him. That made it 273 for 8. Raza kept fighting but fell in the 49th over, caught by Gill off Shardul Thakur for 115 off 95 balls, with nine fours and three sixes. Avesh finished it off by bowling Victor Nyauchi for 0, with Richard Ngarava left on 2 not out, as Zimbabwe ended at 276.
India’s bowlers stayed calm. Avesh Khan took 3 for 66, getting Munyonga, Evans, and Nyauchi. Deepak Chahar had 2 for 75, while Kuldeep Yadav bowled well for 2 for 38, taking out Kaitano and Jongwe. Axar Patel was tight, giving away just 30 runs for his two wickets, Williams and Chakabva. Shardul Thakur got Raza for 1 for 55. The first 10 overs brought 49 runs for one wicket, but the middle overs, from 10.1 to 40, saw 146 runs and six wickets. The last 10 overs added 81 runs but cost three wickets. Raza’s hundred and that stand with Evans nearly pulled it off, but India’s bowlers held firm for a 13-run win and a 3-0 series sweep.