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India clinch series with dominant 10-wicket victory over Zimbabwe
Chasing Zimbabwe's total of 152 for seven, India reached the target with 28 balls to spare, taking a 3-1 lead in the five-match series
Harare: Yashasvi Jaiswal and captain Shubman Gill delivered an impressive performance, leading India to a commanding 10-wicket victory over Zimbabwe in the fourth T20 international at Harare Sports Club on Saturday, securing the series win.
Chasing Zimbabwe's total of 152 for seven, India reached the target with 28 balls to spare, taking a 3-1 lead in the five-match series.
The left-handed Jaiswal scored an unbeaten 93 off 53 balls and was named player of the match, while Gill contributed 58 not out off 39 deliveries.
“Chasing was something we talked about,” Gill said during the post-match presentation. “We couldn't do it in the first game, so it was good to get it done,”.
Despite losing the first match by 13 runs last Saturday, India has dominated the subsequent three matches.
Captain Sikandar Raza's 46 off 28 balls couldn't help Zimbabwe capitalize fully on their promising start, with Wessly Madhevere (25) and Tadiwanashe Marumani (32) adding 63 for the first wicket. Both openers were dismissed in successive overs by part-time bowlers Abhishek Sharma and Shivam Dube.
India fielded only four specialist bowlers, including debutant Tushar Deshpande, who took Raza's wicket while giving away 30 runs in three overs.
Raza reflected on the innings, stating that he initially thought 160 was a par score but admitted, "The way they batted, 180 would not have been enough."
Jaiswal set the tone in the first over of India's innings, hitting three boundaries off Richard Ngarava. India's fifty came up inside four overs, and the hundred was posted within 10 overs. Jaiswal's innings included 13 fours and two sixes, while Gill hit six fours and two sixes.
The series concludes with the fifth T20 in Harare on Sunday.