India vs Zimbabwe 3rd ODI highlights: India's 7-wicket win, as it happened

India take an unassailable 3-0 series lead over Zimbabwe in 5-match series after a 7-wicket win at Harare Sports Club on Sunday. Catch all the highlights from the India vs Zimbabwe tie, as they happened: (Scorecard | Commentary | Match Report | Match in pics):

 

The series now shifts base to Bulawayo, where the remaining two matches will be held at the Queens Sports Club. India now stands a chance to tinker more with their line-up and Zimbabwe, apart from playing for pride, would look to give their youngsters some international experience.

QUOTES from the presentation:

 

Amit Mishra is the Man of the Match for his 4 for 47. Mishra: "I always speak to coaches and they tell me to go for wickets. I do not worry about being hit for runs. Whenever you take wickets, it puts pressure on the batting side. I have worked hard on the googly, with bowling coach Joe Dawes, and have done lots of talking on it as well. There are a lot of upcoming players in the side and there is healthy competition."

Virat Kohli: "The win was important to seal the series. We effected early breakthroughs with the ball, and the total was not difficult to chase down. We are not setting any goals for ourselves, did not think we could seal the series today only. Zimbabwe has some inexperience in the line-up and it is all about gaining experience for them. I am one of the few experienced guys in this Indian team and I am trying to take responsibility. Their bowlers know how to bowl on these wickets, they are using the two new balls well. Our fast bowlers can learn from them."

Brendan Taylor: "It is getting quite frustrating now for us. Leading into the series the amount of work we put in, not translating into results and knowing the ability of the players is irritating. For us, there is still lot to play for in Bulawayo. We generally got out to soft dismissals. We guys need to toughen up mentally."

19:30 (IST) FACTOID: ODI Batting averages of players in winning chases (minimum 100 runs): MS Dhoni 100.09, Michael Bevan 86.25, Misbah-ul Haq 85.93, Michael Clarke 83.43, Virat Kohli 79.36, Shane Watson 70.57 (stats courtesy Mohandas Menon).

19:18 (IST): So Virat Kohli and Suresh Raina finish it in an emphatic fashion. The two shared unbeaten 56-run stand in just 32 balls to take India home in 36th over, India finish with 187/3 and win with 7 wickets in hand, 87 balls remaining. Earlier, Dhawan scored 35 and Ambati Rayudu (33) shared 64 runs with Kohli. For Zimbabwe, the three frontline pacers Brian Vitori, Michael Chinouya and Tendai Chatara took a wicket each. After Kohli won the toss and inserted Zimbabwe into bat, the hosts were 183 all out and Amit Mishra took 4 wickets.

19:07 (IST) That's it, India win the series! Virat Kohli's 68 not out (88 balls, 5x4s, 1x6) and Suresh Raina's unbeaten 28 (18 balls, 3x4s) takes India to a 7-wicket win. Raina's pull off Tendai Chatara wide of square leg for four is the winning hit.

 

19:04 (IST) India close in on yet another ODI series win as Virat Kohli hits Chinouya for a six and Suresh Raina smashes Brian Vitori for two fours in the 35th over. India179/3, need another 5 to win.

18:55 (IST) What a way to get his 24th fifty. Virat Kohli you beauty! A measured yet flowing drive through extra cover off debutant Michael Chinouya. Kohli reached the milestone in 80 balls. India 159/3 (33.2 overs), need another 25 runs to claim a 3-0 unassailable lead in 5-match series.

 

18:45 (IST) Meanwhile, catch all the action from outside the field, concerning the Indian Cricket Board here. Read the following links:

 

No cover-up on MS Dhoni's conflict of interest, says Jagmohan Dalmiya

 

Nothing will be swept under the carpet: interim BCCI chief Jagmohan Dalmiya

BCCI Working Committee to decide on N Srinivasan's return as board chief: sources

 

BCCI probe clears Raj Kundra, Gurunath Meiyappan of involvement in IPL spot-fixing: sources

 

18:36 (IST) Third Wicket - Brian Vitori strikes and Ambati Rayudu falls! A simple return catch to the left-arm pacer. Rayudu made 33 off 54 balls with the help of 2 fours. India 131/3 (30.1 overs), need another 53 runs to win. Suresh Raina is the new man.

 

18:24 (IST) As we type, the 50-run stand is up between the two. 51 the partnership of 75 balls. India 118/2 in 27 overs, Kohli 36*, Rayudu 26*.

 

18:14 (IST) At the halfway mark, India are 109 for 2, with Virat Kohli on 32 and Ambati Rayudu on 22. The two have shared a 42-run stand in 11 overs.

 

17:59 (IST): Virat Kohli's 115 in the first game made him the fastest to 15 ODI centuries (106 innings). Yet another milestone for this cricketer who has risen to become India's best one-day batsman since his debut back in 2008. Read

 

17:48 (IST): Virat Kohli and Ambati Rayudu spending time out in the middle as they adjust to the pace and bounce of the wicket. The runs have dried up a bit since Dhawan's departure.

 

17:36 (IST): Second Wicket Shikhar Dhawan gives Tendai Chatara the charge and Vusi Sibanda takes a good catch at cover to send him back for 35. India 67/2 in 14.1 overs, Target: 184.

 

17:28 (IST): Shikhar Dhawan has had an excellent return to international cricket. On his Test debut he hit 187 against Australia in Mohali, followed by successive ODI hundreds against South Africa and West Indies in the ICC Champions Trophy. He followed it up with a fifty against Sri Lanka in the same tournament. A century in the second ODI against Zimbabwe was another feather to his cap.

 

17:02 (IST): First Wicket - Rohit Sharma becomes Michael Chinouya's first ODI victim as he edges to Brendan Taylor. India 27/1 in 5.5 overs, Target: 184.

 

16:56 (IST): India get off to a good start as the openers look to build an innings.

 

16:41 (IST): Zimbabwe need to win three games in succession if they are to turn the series around.

 

16:36 (IST): Rohit Sharma and Shikhar Dhawan start off India's run chase.

 

15:46 (IST) Final Wicket - Zimbabwe all out for 183 after Amit Mishra grabs his fourth wicket as Tendai Chatara is bowled in the 46th over. Mohd Shami took two wickets and R Vinay Kumar, Jaydev Unadkat and Ravindra Jadeja struck once for the visitors. Sean Williams top scored for the hosts with 45. Hamilton Masakadza played an enterprising hand early on, hitting 38. But the Zimbabweans never got a partnership going for long.

 

15:37 (IST) FACTOID: Michael Tawanda Chinouya is a 27-year-old right-arm fast bowler. He was born on Jun 9, 1986 in Kwekwe. Chinouya has taken 111 First Class wickets in 44 games. He is replacing Kyle Jarvis in the Zimbabwean side today. The teams he has played for in domestic cricket are - Centrals, Mid West Rhinos, Midlands, Southern Rocks and Zimbabwe A.

 

15:29 (IST): Ninth Wicket - Brian Vitori is gone, out caught behind off an Amit Mishra googly. Vitori made 17 off 26 balls (2x4s, 1x6). Zimbabwe 167/9 after 42 overs. Vitori and Chatara shared a 34-run 9th-wicket stand. Debutant Michael Chinouya last man in.

 

15:20 (IST) 40 overs gone and Zimbabwe are 1586 for 8. Tendai Chatara and Brian Vitori have gathered 23 runs in the batting powerplay. Both have hit a six each.

 

15:12 (IST): Left-handed Brian Vitori is playing with reckless abandon and getting some crucial runs for his side. He is batting on a career-best 11* now! His previous best was 3. Zimbabwe go past 150 now, in the 39th over.

 

14:58 (IST) Eighth Wicket: Sean Williams is run out for 45. Misjudgment from the two batsmen and Williams tries to take on Ravindra Jadeja's throw from the deep, is found short. Zimbabwe 133/8 (35 overs). Batting powerplay starts and Brian Vitori is the next man in.

 

14:48 (IST): Seventh Wicket: Prosper Utseya is caught behind for 10 off Shami and Zimbabwe's slide continues. Zimbabwe 125/7 in 32.4 overs.

 

14:37 (IST): Sean Williams (40) playing a lone hand to keep India at bay. Zimbabwe 123/6 in 31 overs.

 

14:25 (IST): Sean Williams decides to take the attack to the Indians with a couple of big shots in the 27th over. Zimbabwe 112/6 in 27 overs.

 

14:19 (IST) At the halfway mark, Zimbabwe are 94 for 6 (25 overs) with Sean Williams on 20 and Prsoper Utseya on 1.

 

14:09 (IST) Sixth Wicket: Elton Chigumbura (3) falls to Ravindra Jadeja, out LBW. First wicket for Jadeja. Zimbabwe in tatters at 89/6 (23 overs). Prosper Utseya, who scored a fifty in the previous game, comes out to bat.

 

14:01 (IST) Fifth Wicket: Amit Mishra on a hat-trick as Malcolm Waller is out LBW 1st ball to Amit Mishra. Zimbabwe 80/5 (19.5 overs)

 

13:59 (IST) Fourth Wicket: Hamilton Masakadza out caught behind by Dinesh Karthik off Amit Mishra. Masakadza made 38 off 53 balls with the help of 5 fours. First wicket for Mishra. Zimbabwe 80/4 (19.4 overs)

 

13:49 (IST) New man in Sean Williams shows his strength through the on side, pulls Unadkat for four wide of deep square leg. Two balls later he flicks him to pick up three more runs in the same area. 18 overs gone, Zimbabwe 76/3 (18 overs).

 

13:37 (IST) Third Wicket - Brendan Taylor caught by Mohd Shami off Jaydev Unadkat. Close call here as Shami just about managed to get the fingers underneath the ball that was hit towards mid off. Taylor made 23 off 44 balls (3x4s), Zimbabwe 67/3 (15.3 overs)

 

13:29 (IST) Dropped! Hamilton Masakadza is dropped by Virat Kohli at extra cover. Masakadza played an airy drive and Kohli leaped in front to get two hands to it, ending up grassing it. Two balls later, Masakadza goes down the track and hammers Jadeja for four over mid on. Zimbabwe 59/2 (13 overs).

 

13:20 (IST): Hamilton Masakadza and Brendan Taylor are playing the recovery role for Zimbabwe as they look to build a partnership.

 

13:05 (IST): The ball is swinging around and the keeper is kept busy trying to collect them without conceding byes.

 

12:51 (IST): India in control of the match with both openers back in the hut for Zimbabwe.

 

12:41 (IST): Second Wicket: Sikandar Raza (1) edges it to Karthik who accepts the simple catch as India remove both openers in successive overs. Shami gets a wicket. Zimbabwe 2/2 in 1.1 overs.

 

12:36 (IST): First Wicket: Vusi Sibanda (0) miscues a lofted shot and gives an easy catch at mid-off to Dhawan off Vinay Kumar. Zimbabwe 0/1 in 0.3 overs.

 

12:26 (IST): Shikhar Dhawan is of the opinion that the new rules in ODI cricket have made run-scoring extremely difficult. Read

 

12:09 (IST): No changes in the Indian team as Mohit Sharma does not get a look-in while Vinay Kumar keeps his place. Michael Chinouya replaces Kyle Jarvis for Zimbabwe.

 

12:02 (IST): India skipper Virat Kohli opts to bowl against Zimbabwe in Harare. Toss Report

 

11:52 (IST): With this win India will win their second bilateral series in Zimbabwe. They won the 1998 series 2-1. Preview

 

11:30 (IST): Mohit Sharma is in line for his first ODI appearance as India may want to try something different after Vinay Kumar was erratic in the first two games. Read

 

India will be high on confidence after their 58-run win in the 2nd ODI. With both their batting and bowling in good form, the Men in Blue are set to go for the kill against the Zimbabweans. (Read match report)