Mumbai Indians

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The Indian cricket team secured a dominant 10-wicket victory against Zimbabwe to take a 1-0 lead in the three-match ODI series. 

Shubman Gill (82*) and Shikhar Dhawan (81*) carried the bat as India chased 190 in 30.5 overs. Earlier on, Deepak Chahar (3/27), Prasidh Krishna (3/50) and Axar Patel (3/24) troubled the Zimbabwean batters. 

A record ninth-wicket stand between Brad Evans and Richard Ngarava came as a surprise, but India’s overall performance with the bat and ball saw them sail through to their 13th consecutive ODI victory against Zimbabwe. 

India captain Kl Rahul won the toss and opted to field first. Deepak Chahar returned to the playing XI for the first time since sustaining a hamstring injury in February. 

Zimbabwe captain Regis Chakabva, who lost the toss, concurred that he was also looking to bowl first given the early moisture on the pitch that would have aided in grabbing early wickets in the first hour of the fixture. 

While the Zimbabwean batters struggled to tackle the early pressure from the Indian bowlers, Deepak Chahar made a breakthrough with the wickets of openers Innocent Kaia (4) and Tadiwanashe Marumani (8) within the mandatory powerplay phase. 

After going wicketless in his first four overs, Mohammed Siraj opened his account with the dismissal of Sean Williams in the 10th over. 

Zimbabwe ended the first 10 overs with a score of 31/3. 

Wessly Madhevere would depart on the first delivery of the second phase, with Deepak Chahar dismissing him for an LBW and grabbing the third scalp of his spell. 

Zimbabwe skipper Regis Chakabva and Sikandar Raza struck a 35-run partnership for the fifth wicket to take the hosts past 50. 

Raza, who notched 252 runs in the series against Bangladesh, fell to a score of 12 as Prasidh Krishna’s full-length delivery took an outside edge and went straight to Shikhar Dhawan at slip. 

Zimbabwe were reduced to 110-8 in 28.3 overs, but a record 70-run partnership between Brad Evans (31 from his 33 runs) and Richard Ngarava (34 runs) guided the hosts within reach of 200. 

The late pressure from the Zimbabwean batters came as a surprise for the visiting Indian bowlers, but Prasidh Krishna got the tempo back in his team’s favour as his round-of-the-wicket yorker went past Ngarava and hit the stumps. 

India bowled out Zimbabwe for 189 in 40.3 overs with Axar Patel pocketing the wicket of Victor Nyauchi (8). 

Chasing 189, India has a relaxed start of 43/0 in the powerplay phase. They reached 100 in 19.1 overs as Shikhar Dhawan notched his 38th ODI fifty. 

Shubman Gill joined the party as he notched his third ODI half-century in his last four innings. His efforts helped India cross 150 in 26th over. 

The opening pairing of Gill and Dhawan stitched a 192-run partnership for the opening wicket and helped India chase 190 in 30.5 overs. 

Zimbabwe and India will reconvene for the second ODI on Saturday, August 20th.