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India signs off its tour in style

— PHOTO: AFP

CAPTAIN'S KNOCK:Suresh Raina scored a quickfire 72 off 44 balls to guide India to victory.

Harare: Skipper Suresh Raina led from the front with a blistering 72 as India signed off its Zimbabwe tour with a comprehensive seven-wicket win over the host in the second and final Twenty20 International here on Sunday.

Chasing 141, India made 144 for three in 18 overs at the Harare Sports Club ground with Raina dispatching Chris Mpofu to the boundary for the winning runs.

Earlier, Tatenda Taibu top-scored with 45 and shared a 43-run stand for the fourth wicket with Charles Coventry (28 off 13) to steer Zimbabwe to 140 for five.

Raina stepped on to the field after the fall of Naman Ojha (10) in the fifth over and stayed till the job was done.

Useful partnership

Along with Murali Vijay (46), Raina shared a 79-run stand for the second wicket, which set up the second comfortable Indian win in as many days.

Raina's 44-ball knock had six fours and two sixes in it.

After an ordinary show in the three-week tour, Vijay finally got some runs under his belt and the Chennai batsman would be relived after playing a good hand in the Indian win.

Vijay and skipper Suresh Raina batted with ease and were hardly troubled by the Zimbabwe bowlers.

Vijay missed out on his half-century when he attempted a big shot off Chamu Chibhabha but his checked shot landed in the hands of Graeme Cremer in the 15th over.

Raina continued the good work and carried the team home just after losing another partner in Yusuf Pathan (4).

Confidence booster

India's consecutive win, after a lacklustre show in the ODI tri-series, would do a world of good to the confidence of its youngsters just ahead of the Asia Cup in Sri Lanka.

Earlier, confident of chasing down whatever the host would put on board, Raina yet again invited them to bat but despite having Zimbabwe in trouble, leaked too many runs in the second session to allow it a comeback.

While in the first 10 overs India conceded just 47 runs, including a mere five boundaries, spinners struggled to keep the run flow in check.

The slow bowlers could not weave the same magic they had created in the first Twenty20 and leaked 95 runs in the 12 overs shared by Pragyan Ojha, Amit Mishra and R. Ashwin.

Ashwin bled most runs as he ended up giving away 48 runs in his four overs.

Taibu comes good

Taibu, whose 45 came off 40 balls with just two fours, shaped the host's innings well and along with Coventry (28 off 13) rescued the side with a defiant 43-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Before that stand opener Brendan Taylor played a patient 33-ball 27 to help the side overcome the early jolts of losing Hamilton Masakadza (2) and Chamu Chibhabha (7).

The Indian medium-pacers, especially Ashok Dinda, were exceptional and did a tremendous job.

The Bengal bowler gave away just 15 runs in his four overs and picked up two wickets.

Things were set beautifully for India but gritty batting by Taibu and Coventry made it a contest for the visitor. — PTI

Zimbabwe: H. Masakadza c Sharma b Dinda 2 ( 8b), B. Taylor c Pathan b Mishra 27 ( 33b, 3x4), C. Chibhabha b Ojha 7 ( 17b, 1x4), T. Taibu (not out) 45 ( 40b, 2x4), C. Coventry b Dinda 28 ( 13b, 3x4, 2x6), E. Chigumbura c Raina b Ashwin 18 ( 6b, 1x4, 2x6), G. Lamb (not out) 7 ( 4b, 1x4); Extras (lb-2, w-3, nb-1) 6; Total (for five wkts. in 20 overs) 140.

Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-21, 3-64, 4-107, 5-128.

India bowling: Dinda 3-0-15-2, Kumar 4-0-28-0, Ojha 4-0-26-1, Mishra 4-0-21-1, Ashwin 4-0-48-1.

India: N. Ojha c Chatara b Price 10 ( 18b, 2x4), M. Vijay c Cremer b Chibhabha 46 ( 39b, 2x4, 3x6), S. Raina (not out) 72 ( 44b, 6x4, 2x6), Y. Pathan c Masakadza b Mpofu 4 ( 7b), R. Sharma (not out) 0 ( 0b); Extras (lb-2, w-10) 12; Total (for three wkts. in 18 overs) 144.

Fall of wickets: 1-32, 2-111, 3-139.

Zimbabwe bowling: Mpofu 3-0-29-1, Chatara 4-0-27-0, Price 3-0-25-1, Lamb 3-0-21-0, Cremer 1-0-9-0, Chigumbura 1-0-12-0, Chibhabha 3-0-19-1 .

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