Shardul Thakur bagged three wickets, while Sanju Samson sizzled in the run-chase to help India beat Zimbabwe by five wickets in the second ODI played at the Harare Sports Club on August 20.
India bundled out the hosts for below 200 in the second straight time in the series, but the 162 run-chase got somewhat tricky, when they were reduced to 97/4 in the second game of the series. Skipper KL Rahul promoted himself to open to get some game-time, but was trapped leg-before for a single by right-arm quick Victor Nyauchi in just the second over of the innings.
Shubman Gill then joined Shikhar Dhawan, and the pair, fresh from an unbeaten 192-run stand from the last game, added 42 in just 5.1 overs this time, before the left-hander was bounced out by Tanaka Chivanga for 33. Ishan Kishan dragged one onto his stumps, while Gill guided an upper cut straight to the third-man.
Deepak Hooda and Samson then combined for a 56-run stand to avoid any further hiccup, with the latter being cleaned up by Sikandar Raza when India needed just nine. Samson (43* off 39) finished the game with a towering six over long-on, his fourth of the innings to go with three fours.
Earlier, Thakur bagged three wickets as Zimbabwe were bundled out for 161 in the 39th over. Sean Williams top-scored with a run-a-ball 42, while Ryan Burl ran out of partners to remain stranded at 39.
Each of India’s other five bowlers – Hooda, Mohammed Siraj, Prasidh Krishna, Kuldeep Yadav and Axar Patel – bagged a wicket each.
The third ODI will be played at the same venue on August 22.
Brief scores
Zimbabwe 161 all-out (Williams 42, Burl 39; Thakur 3-38) lost to India 167/5 in 25.4 overs (Samson 43*; Jongwe 2-33) by five wickets.
