Still believe we can beat India: Zimbabwe assistant coach

Bulawayo: They might have already lost the five-match ODI series after conceding an unassailable 0-3 lead to India, but Zimbabwe still feel that they can spring a surprise in the remaining two games, beginning here tomorrow. Zimbabwe assistant coach Stephen Mangongo said despite trailing 0-3 in the series, his men are expecting a change of fortune in the two matches at the Queens Sports Club here. [caption id=“attachment_1001141” align=“aligncenter” width=“380”]  Suresh Raina and Virat Kohli walk off after winning the third ODI. Getty Images[/caption] “There is a lot to play for in Bulawayo. We might be down but we are not out because we are not just coming to fulfil a fixture. We are going to fight for a positive result. As I said before, we respect India but we should realise that we are not in the game to make numbers but to compete,” he said ahead of tomorrow’s fourth match. “If we do things right, that’s the basics, hopefully the situation in Bulawayo might change as well,” said Mangongo. Zimbabwe lost the first match of the series by six wickets before going down to a 58-run defeat in the second ODI. While India sealed the series on Sunday with a seven-wicket win. Mangongo rued that his side could have won the third ODI in Harare had they not committed blunders on the field. “To be trailing 0-3 looks terrible considering that we spent two months preparing for these matches. We had opportunities to win the last ODI in Harare but we let ourselves down with numerous fielding mistakes and even dropped catches. At one time we were at 64-4 but those drops which followed cost us,” he said. “Credit goes to the bowlers who did well to restrict the visitors but now it’s time for our batsmen to live to the billing and score more runs. If you look at India’s batting, they are not doing well but in all their three matches, at least one of their top four batsmen have done well. Our top order has to give us more runs,” Mangongo said. PTI