ZIM vs IND: 3 most memorable ODIs
India have been involved in some tough bilateral cricketing series over the years. While they have enjoyed some famous rivalries against arch-rivals Pakistan, Australia, England, Sri Lanka, etc. Zimbabwe have also been one of those teams who have given tough competition to India in the past.
Both teams will be locking horns in a three-match ODI series starting August 18. Ahead of the bilateral series, here’s a look at three of the memorable ODI matches featuring both sides.
3. 1999 World Cup group stage match:
India faced Zimbabwe in a group match of the 1999 World Cup at Leicester on May 19, 1999. Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar was unavailable for this clash due to personal reasons as he flew back to India for attending his father’s funeral.
Indian skipper Mohammad Azharuddin won the toss and elected to bowl first. The Indian bowlers were errant in their line and length as Zimbabwe scored 252/9. They gave away 51 runs in extras.
Those extra runs conceded eventually backfired as the Indian batting blew hot and cold and despite Sadagoppan Ramesh’s 55 and Ajay Jadeja’s 43, they were all out for 249 in the 45th over to go down by three runs.
2. 2015 World Cup group match:
India faced Zimbabwe in their final group encounter of the 2015 World Cup at Auckland. Chasing a stiff target of 288, the Men in Blue were reduced to 92/4.
However, the middle order duo of skipper MS Dhoni and Suresh Raina carried out the rescue act. Raina was dropped in between and he made the opposition pay for their sloppy fielding by scoring an unbeaten 110.
The duo added 196 runs for the fourth wicket stand as India got home by six wickets in the penultimate overs.
- VB Series 2004
India faced Zimbabwe in the eighth match of the tri-series at the Adelaide Oval. The Men in Blue posted 280/7 courtesy of VVS Laxman’s 131.
India had the match in the bag reducing Zimbabwe for 46/3 before the middle-order duo of Stuart Carlisle (109) and Sean Ervine’s (100) 202-run fourth-wicket partnership gave the Sourav Ganguly-led side a huge scare.
Unfortunately for Zimbabwe, once the duo was dismissed, they completely lost the plot as they were restricted to 277/6 and India snatched victory from the jaws of defeat by three runs.
