Harare (Zimbabwe): India, aided by Sanju Samson's half-century and pacer Mukesh Kumar's four-wicket haul, defeated Zimbabwe by 42 runs in the fifth and final T20I to win the five-match series 4-1 here on Sunday.
The African side needed a strong start but faltered early, losing two quick wickets within the first three overs. Tadiwanashe Marumani and Dion Myers played a couple of challenging overs quite sensibly and then targeted the spinners effectively, showcasing a solid counterattack to reach 47/2 by the end of the powerplay, shifting the momentum back into balance.
The duo stitched a 44-run partnership before it was broken by a spinner. Myers continued scoring briskly but eventually lost his wicket. Things deteriorated rapidly for Zimbabwe as they lost three more wickets in quick succession. Faraz Akram managed to hit a few impressive boundaries, but the asking rate was too high for the side to make a comeback, ultimately falling short by 42 runs.
Earlier, invited to bat, Samson (58, 45b, 1x4, 4x6) and Riyan Parag (22, 24b) added 65 runs for the fourth wicket as India recovered from a middling Power Play in which they scored 44 for three.
Yashasvi Jaiswal (12), who made a fine unbeaten 93 in the fourth T20I, started the proceedings with two sixes in the first two balls of the innings bowled by Sikandar Raza. But in the fourth ball of the same over, Jaiswal played the wrong line to a delivery on the middle and leg stump to get bowled.
Abhishek Sharma, who was dropped on 10 by Brian Bennett off Blessing Muzarabani, did not last long, edging the pacer two balls later to Clive Madande behind the wicket.
Skipper Shubman Gill, who received a reprieve on 11, was never in his fluent self on this day and smashed left-arm seamer Richard Ngarava straight into the hands of Raza in the deep. At 44 for three, India needed a partnership to steady the innings. Samson and Parag provided just that.
Their alliance was all about prudence than theatrics, choosing the correct delivery to punish. It was the right approach too considering the pitch was not precisely a belter as it was in the previous two matches, offering a hint of turn.
However, Samson showed his aggressive side when the opportunity presented itself. He biffed leg-spinner Brandon Mavuto for two sixes in a row and the second shot was an outstanding piece of work. Mavuto angled the ball into Samson's leg-stump, but the right-hander gave himself enough space to carve that over extra cover for a maximum.
Samson brought up his fifty in 39 balls, his second in T20Is, but Parag departed as India were looking for some late acceleration. The right-hander perished to Mavuto while looking to clear the fence, and Samson too could not carry till the end of the innings. He wanted to take on Muzarabani, the most impressive among home side bowlers, but ended up giving a catch to a tumbling Tadiwanashe Marumani.
The tourists found some late steam through Shivam Dube (26, 12b, 2x4, 2x6).
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