Cricket
IND vs ZIM Highlights: Mukesh Kumar stars as India beat Zimbabwe by 42 runs in 5th T20I, clinch five-match series 4-1 – The Times of India
19:51 (IST), Jul 14
India’s bowlers have delivered an extraordinary performance, bundling Zimbabwe up for a mere 125 runs and winning the game by a substantial 42-run margin to secure a dominant 4-1 series victory. India, after a strong batting display, started perfectly with Mukesh Kumar repeatedly beating the opener’s bat before dismissing the in-form Wessly Madhevere in the first over. In his next over, Mukesh struck again, removing Brian Bennett and putting India firmly ahead in the game. Although a resilient counter-attacking third-wicket partnership began to take shape, Washington Sundar provided a crucial breakthrough that eased India’s growing concerns. Shivam Dube soon joined the fray, contributing with two vital wickets and a splendid runout. India managed to take 4 wickets for just 9 runs, ensuring there was no chance for a Zimbabwean comeback. The spinners returned strongly, securing breakthroughs in the middle overs that changed the course of the game. Mukesh Kumar stood out with his career-best figures of 4 for 22 runs while Shivam Dube took two wickets. Abhishek Sharma, Washington Sundar and Tushar Deshpande claimed one apiece. This clinical comeback from India, after losing the first game, saw them win the next four consecutively, sealing a dominant series victory.