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PREVIEW: Harare: A second string Indian side faces the huge task of bouncing back from a rare One-Day International (ODI) series loss to Bangladesh as the three-match series against Zimbabwe starts at the Harare Sports Club here on Friday. [caption id=“attachment_2336498” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  File picture of Ajinkya Rahane. AFP[/caption] The Zimbabwe series comes after full strength India, led by their talismanic skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, lost the three-match series 1-2 in Dhaka. With the 2011 World Cup-winning skipper rested alongwith six other seniors including vice-captain Virat Kohli, the batsman Ajinkya Rahane-led side will be under pressure to live upto the expectations of its legions of fans. However, the series offers great opportunities for the fringe players of the team due to the absence of established stars like batsmen Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan and Suresh Raina, and bowlers like Ravichandran Ashwin and Umesh Yadav. Among others, the performance of veteran off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, who made a comeback to the ODI squad after four years, will be keenly followed. He last played an ODI in June 2011 against the West Indies while he was last picked for T20Is in September 2012 against Australia. The 35-year-old from Jalandhar, once former captain Sourav Ganguly’s favourite slow bowler, has 259 wickets from 229 ODIs since making his debut in 1998. Harbhajan, who lost his place to Tamil Nadu off-spinner Ashwin, will be accompanied by left-arm tweaker Axar Patel. Earlier leg-spinner Karn Sharma was selected for the tour but opted out with a left middle finger injury. Murali Vijay, who is a regular opener in Tests, is likely to partner Rahane at the top of the order as Manish Pandey and Manoj Tiwary are the other batsmen in the squad. All-rounder Stuart Binny will also look to showcase his skills with bat and ball. Skipper Rahane, who was dropped for the final two ODIs in Bangladesh as Dhoni thought the Mumbai batsman is incapable of rotating strike on slower pitches, will be under pressure on both fronts – batting and captaincy. Among the pacers, Dhawal Kulkarni, Bhuvneshwar Kumar and Mohit Sharma were retained with Punjab’s uncapped Sandeep Sharma joining them. No specialist wicketkeeper has been named in the squad but Robin Uthappa, Kedar Jadhav and Ambati Rayudu, all of whom have been selected, have kept wickets in the past. The last time India travelled to the African country, the Kohli-led side won 5-0 and this time also the Indian team will be optimistic of a similar result. World No.11 Zimbabwe need performance from batsmen Hamilton Masakadza, Chamunorwa Chibhabha and Vusimuzi Sibanda and bowlers like Prosper Utseya and Tinashe Panyangara. Skipper Elton Chigumbura and Sean Williams will share the dual responsibility of contributing with both bat and ball. IANS
Zimbabwe vs India 1st ODI as it happened: Chigumbura's ton in vain as India clinch thriller
Indian side faces the huge task of bouncing back from a rare ODI series loss to Bangladesh against Zimbabwe at the Harare Sports Club
 "Zimbabwe vs India 1st ODI as it happened: Chigumbura's ton in vain as India clinch thriller")
That’s it! India win by 4 runs.
Brilliant last over from Bhuvneshwar. He’s saved India the blushes. Chigumbura’s fantastic ton goes in vain! Chigumbura cracks the first one wide of long on for a couple off the first ball but then garners just a single off the next to covers. Titipano then takes a single to fine leg off a yorker. Chigumbura then thumps one to extra cover but doesn’t get a run. He mistimes a full toss to long off and doesn’t take a run. With 6 needed off 1, Bhuvneshwar bowles another delivery in the blockhole, Chigumbura charges but only manages to takes a single to the leg side.
OUT! A poor choice of shot! AG Cremer c Binny b Kulkarni 27 (36b 2×4 0x6)
Full toss outside the leg stump, Cremer goes for a reverse lap but doesnt’ connect it well and helps it straight into the hands of the point fielder.
Tiripano is the new batsman.
CENTURY for Chigumbura!
What an innings from the skipper. It’s his 2nd ODI century and he has back-to-back hundreds now. 8 fours and one six in his innings but the job is still not done!
Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, who's next, USA?#INDvsZIM
— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) July 10, 2015
After 48 overs, Zimbabwe 238/6 (Chigumbura 98, Cremer 22)
Another brilliant over for Zimbabwe. Now they have a good chance with 18 needed off 12. Chigumbura thumps the second one over long on for a boundary. A couple is followed by a tough chance at long on where Vijay drops it. Cremer then paddles the last one over short fine leg for a boundary.
After 47 overs, Zimbabwe 224/6 (Chigumbura 89, Cremer 17)
Just what Zimbabwe wanted. 13 runs from the over. Chigumbura cracks one through covers for a boundary and then drives one through the same region for a couple. He drills one to long on for another couple before chipping one over mid off for two. He pulls the last one for the fourth couple of the over. 32 needed off 18.
After 46 overs, Zimbabwe 211/6 (Chigumbura 77, Cremer 17)
A very good comeback from Bhuvneshwar. After being cracked for a four off the first ball through point, he resorts to yorkers and concedes just 1 run off the next five balls. 45 needed off 24 balls.
After 45 overs, Zimbabwe 206/6 (Chigumbura 72, Cremer 17)
A tight over from Akshar. Just four runs off it. He finishes off with – 10-1-41-2. 50 needed off 30 at 10 runs per over. This might get really interesting.
After 44 overs, Zimbabwe 202/6 (Chigumbura 69, Cremer 16)
Chigumbura is fighting it out in the middle. A wayward over from Dhawal. After 6 runs off the first five balls which included a couple of wides, Chigumbura blasts a six over deep mid-wicket to make it 12 runs off the over. 54 needed off 36.
After 43 overs, Zimbabwe 190/6 (Chigumbura 62, Cremer 13)
A brilliant over from Akshar under circumstances. He cramped the batsmen for room and hurried them up with his pace. Just two runs off it. 66 needed off 42.
After 42 overs, Zimbabwe 188/6 (Chigumbura 62, Cremer 11)
Clever cricket from Zimbabwe. Three 2s without taking any risks and two singles. 8 runs off the over. 68 needed off 48. It’s doable if Chigumbura stays till the end.
After 41 overs, Zimbabwe 180/6 (Chigumbura 57, Cremer 8)
A decent over for Zimbabwe, they started off well with Chigumbura pulling a half tracker behind square leg for a boundary but then they could garner jsut 3 off the next five.
After 40 overs, Zimbabwe 173/6 (Chigumbura 51, Cremer 7)
Cremer starts off with a lovely cover drive for a boundary. Binny hits back to concede just two off the next five balls. 6 runs off the over.
After 39 overs, Zimbabwe 167/6 (Chigumbura 50, Cremer 2)
A good over spoiled by bad keeping. The last one is a good length delivery outside off, Chigumbura looks to cut but misses, Uthappa too misses and it runs away for four byes.
After 38 overs, Zimbabwe 159/6 (Chigumbura 50, Cremer 1)
A successful over for India. 3 runs and a wicket off it. Binny has performed really well so far..
FIFTY for Chigumbura!
The skipper is fighting a loe battle. 50 off 65 balls. Four 4s in his innings so far. He needs to bat through if Zimbabwe are to have any chance.
OUT! The slower one does the trick. R Mutumbami c Harbhajan Singh b Binny 7 (16b 1×4 0x6)
Length delivery on middle and off, a slower one, Mutumbami closes the face of the bat early and looks to turn it to the leg side but gets a leading edge to mid off where Harbhajan runs ot his left and takes a very good catch.
Graeme Cremer is the new batsman.
After 37 overs, Zimbabwe 159/5 (Chigumbura 48, Mutumbami 7)
The Zimbabwe batsmen are getting singles and twos easily what they need is boundaries. 4 runs off the over. 97 needed off 13.
After 36 overs, Zimbabwe 155/5 (Chigumbura 45, Mutumbami 6)
Kulkarni starts off scratchily, drifts onto Chigumbura’s pads who trickles it to fine leg for a boundary. Kulkarni then hits back to concede just two runs off four balls. 101 required off 14 overs now.
After 35 overs, Zimbabwe 149/5 (Chigumbura 40, Mutumbami 5)
A good over spoiled by one bad ball. Harbhajan again drops one short, Mutumbami punches it through covers for a boundary. Just four runs off the over.
After 34 overs, Zimbabwe 145/5 (Chigumbura 40, Mutumbami 1)
After five good deliveries, Binny overpitches one, Chigumbura drives it through extra cover for a couple. Just three runs off the over.
After 33 overs, Zimbabwe 142/5 (Chigumbura 38, Mutumbami 0)
Harbhajan lucky to get the wicket in that over. He bowled way too many half trackers, got hit for two fours but then luckily got the wicket of Raza.
OUT! Harbhajan has the last laugh! Sikandar Raza c Kumar b Harbhajan Singh 37 (33b 5×4 0x6)
One shot too many from Raza. After a couple of boundaries in the over, Harbhajan drops it short again, Raza rocks back for a pull but gets a top edge to deep mid-wicket where Bhuvneshwar takes a very good catch.
Richmond Mutumbami is the new batsman.
After 32 overs, Zimbabwe 134/4 (Chigumbura 38, Raza 29)
Good stuff from Zimbabwe. They are not getting bogged down. The singles and twos are coming. AFter four singles, Chigumbura flicks one through square leg for a couple. 6 runs off the over.
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