The Indian team began the ODI series against Zimbabwe with a massive 10-wicket win in the first ODI at the Harare Sports Club on Thursday.
Indian openers Shikhar Dhawan and Shubman Gill starred in a clinical performance by the visitors to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series.
India beat Zimbabwe by 10 wickets in the first ODI
After Indian bowlers, boosted by the return of Deepak Chahar, displayed sheer brilliance to fold up Zimbabwe’s innings at 189 in 40.3 overs.
Playing his first competitive game since February 2022, Chahar claimed a three-wicket-haul with figures 3/27.
Chahar was well supported by Axar Patel (3/24) and Prasidh Krishna (3/50) in decimating the Africans’ batting lineup.
Shikhar Dhawan, Shubman Gill post-second-highest opening stand in a 10-wicket win
Gill (82 not out off 72 balls) and Dhawan (81 not out off 113 balls) mustered their third 100-plus stand in the last four innings to take India past the finishing line with 115 balls to spare.
The openers bided their time and showed no haste in the chase, playing their natural strokes and not letting the hosts get into the game at any moment. Dhawan was watchful with Gill dealing with the new ball.
Dhawan scored three boundaries in the powerplay overs and added one more off Sean Williams in the 13th over. Gill, surprisingly, had not hit a single boundary till that point. He broke in the 14th over with three fours against Brad Evans.
Gill finished with 10 fours and a six off Wesley Madhevere in the 192-run stand, while Dhawan carted 10 boundaries in a composed knock.
Gill and Dhawan posted the second highest opening stand for India in a 10-wicket victory in ODI cricket.
Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly hold the record with 197 runs which was also against Zimbabwe in Sharjah in 1998.
India will play the second ODI against Zimbabwe on Saturday (August 20) at the same venue.