India beat Zimbabwe in the fifth and final T20I by a margin of 42 runs to seal the series 4-1. Played out at the Harare Sports Club, it was a sterling performance put out by some of the Indian players. Of these, it was Shivam Dube’s all-round contribution that earned him the Player of the Match title.
Dube did an equally great job at both the crease and on the bowling front. He made a quick 26 runs from 12 balls, which, of course, was quite worth the effort in taking India to a competitive total of 167/6. His aggressive batting in the final overs gave impetus to his team.
India Key Bowling Performance
Apart from his batting, it was Shivam Dube’s bowling that helped India win the game. He claimed two crucial wickets with his medium pace. It was his correct and tight bowling that gave very little opportunity to the Zimbabwe batsmen to score freely. Thus, the pressure remained on them.
The memorable event was also witnessed by Dube, who contributed significantly to this field. He conducted an important direct hit to run out Sikandar Raza, the mainstay for Zimbabwe. This was the turn-around in the game because it dented the hope of the Zimbabweans in terms of chasing the target set by India.
At the end of the match, elated Dube said it was a special thing to contribute to both departments.
He said:
It’s always a special thing to contribute in both departments. Took some wickets, very happy. In T20s, you can struggle but one shot and you can get back. The ground is big, we enjoy playing here, the atmosphere and the people are amazing.
The off-spin all-rounder Washington Sundar was equally important throughout the series. Though he played only those two games in IPL 2024, he consistently performed in Zimbabwe. It was his effective bowling that earned him the Player of the Series award in the series.
Sundar on His Performance
Sundar reflected on the series and the team’s performance:
Good to have finished with a win. After the first game, the conditions were similar to South Africa, getting that extra bounce and extra pace. We had enough time to get a lot of information. Lots of takeaways, a lot of learnings, a lot of confidence going into the Sri Lanka series. We had a lot of success as a team.
First-time series captain Shubman Gill heaped praise on his team’s fighting spirit. How the team lost the first game by 13 runs and then won the remaining four to take the series has been commended by Gill, who also appreciates the determination and adjustability shown by his players.
Gill also looked ahead at the upcoming series in Sri Lanka. He mentioned that the team adapts well to different conditions, and thus he is looking forward to performing in Sri Lanka.
He said:
Lot of the players had long flights, they weren’t used the conditions. The way we adapted was remarkable. I have been there once to the Sri Lanka for the Asia Cup, looking forward to go there and perform.
The series victory over Zimbabwe proved the potential of being a team and the existence of talent. With good performances by Shivam Dube and Washington Sundar, much is left to build on by the team. Good leadership taken over under the stewardship of Shubman Gill has prepared the boys to get through more challenges ahead. This win against Zimbabwe boosted their morale to take on Sri Lanka.
