A dominant India predictably completed a 3-0 whitewash by bulldozing a sub-par Zimbabwe by 10 wickets in the final ODI cricket match here on Wednesday in what turned out to be one of the most one-sided series in recent times.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s boys outclassed the hosts in all departments by first bowling them out for their lowest total of 123 in the series with Jasprit Bumrah grabbing 4/22 and then romping home in 21.5 overs.
Openers Kl Rahul (63 not out) and debutant Faiz Fazal (55 not out) flayed with what seemed like a club-level bowling attack to guide India home.
India also completed a hat-trick of whitewashes against the hosts, having won earlier ODI series by 5-0 and 3-0 margin in 2013 and 2015 when Virat Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane led the sides respectively.
For Dhoni, there were two milestones that he achieved from the series. With 107 wins as captain, he equalled Allan Border for the second highest number of wins in ODI history behind Ricky Ponting (165).
However, there wasn’t much else to draw from the three matches as it was one rare series where only four batsmen namely openers Rahul, Karun Nair, Fazal (this match) and Ambati Rayudu got a decent hit in the middle in the three game ODI series.
Brief Scores
Zimbabwe: 123 (Vusi Sibanda 38, Jasprit Bumrah 4/22) lose to India: 126/0 (lokesh Rahul 63 not out, Faiz Fazal 55 not out) by ten wickets.