Agency :
India were almost served an upset in southern Africa on Friday when an inspired century by Zimbabwe skipper Elton Chigumbura took his team on the brink of a win over the two-time World Champions – only to fall four runs short in a thrilling last-over finish in the first ODI.
Chigumbura’s 104* almost pressed the undo button on Ambati Rayudu’s second ODI century that, with the help of Stuart Binny’s maiden ODI fifty, revived India’s innings from 87 for 5 to post 255 for 6 on the board.
But India held their nerves in the final six balls of the match through Bhuvneshwar Kumar who defended 10 runs to keep India’s total unbreached and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Bhuvneshwar proved to be the most economical of India’s bowlers with a 10-over spell of 1 for 35. Axar Patel (2 for 41) and Binny (2 for 54) took two wickets apiece.
Earlier, Rayudu’s 124* and his 160-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Binny (77) put life back into India’s innings after Zimbabwe pacers had ripped apart the visitors’ top order.
From 60 for 1, India lost five wickets in the space of 27 runs to slip to 87 for 5. But the middle order pair of Man-of-the-Match Rayudu and Binny ensured India crossed 250 to put a competitive total on the board.
India were almost served an upset in southern Africa on Friday when an inspired century by Zimbabwe skipper Elton Chigumbura took his team on the brink of a win over the two-time World Champions – only to fall four runs short in a thrilling last-over finish in the first ODI.
Chigumbura’s 104* almost pressed the undo button on Ambati Rayudu’s second ODI century that, with the help of Stuart Binny’s maiden ODI fifty, revived India’s innings from 87 for 5 to post 255 for 6 on the board.
But India held their nerves in the final six balls of the match through Bhuvneshwar Kumar who defended 10 runs to keep India’s total unbreached and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
Bhuvneshwar proved to be the most economical of India’s bowlers with a 10-over spell of 1 for 35. Axar Patel (2 for 41) and Binny (2 for 54) took two wickets apiece.
Earlier, Rayudu’s 124* and his 160-run partnership for the fifth wicket with Binny (77) put life back into India’s innings after Zimbabwe pacers had ripped apart the visitors’ top order.
From 60 for 1, India lost five wickets in the space of 27 runs to slip to 87 for 5. But the middle order pair of Man-of-the-Match Rayudu and Binny ensured India crossed 250 to put a competitive total on the board.
