India secured a commanding 42-run victory over Zimbabwe in the fifth and final T20I at Harare Sports Club, clinching the series 4-1. Vice-captain Sanju Samson and fast-bowler Mukesh Kumar were the stars of the match, delivering standout performances that guided India to a strong finish in the series.
Sanju Samson's elegant batting was a highlight as he scored his second T20I fifty, amassing 58 runs off 45 balls. His innings included one four and four sixes, and he built a crucial partnership with Riyan Parag, adding 65 runs off 56 balls for the fourth wicket.
This partnership helped stabilise India's innings after the early loss of their top three batters during the power-play. Shivam Dube's quickfire 26, along with powerful hits from Rinku Singh, propelled India to a competitive total of 167/6, with the final two overs yielding 30 runs.
In response, Mukesh Kumar's superb bowling display set the tone for India’s defence. He struck early, removing Wesley Madhevere in the first over and then dismissed Brian Bennett in the third over.
Despite a spirited effort by Dion Myers and Tadiwanashe Marumani, who shared a 44-run partnership for the third wicket, Zimbabwe faltered. A collapse from 85/3 to 94/7 saw their chances diminish rapidly. Mukesh finished with career-best T20I figures of 4-22, sealing Zimbabwe’s fate as they were bowled out for 125 in 18.3 overs.
Mukesh's early breakthroughs were crucial, as he had Madhevere chopping onto his stumps and Bennett caught at third man. Although he missed out on a hat-trick due to overstepping, his relentless pace and accuracy kept Zimbabwe under pressure. Washington Sundar's dismissal of Marumani, who was trapped lbw while sweeping, further dented Zimbabwe's chase.
Myers tried to keep the chase alive with some boundaries but fell to a short ball from Dube. The run-out of Sikandar Raza by Dube, followed by the dismissal of Johnathan Campbell, left Zimbabwe in disarray. Abhishek Sharma and Tushar Deshpande contributed with crucial wickets, and Mukesh wrapped up the innings with two more scalps.
Earlier in the day, India’s innings began with Yashasvi Jaiswal attacking Raza for consecutive sixes, though Raza quickly responded by bowling Jaiswal with a sharp delivery.
Abhishek Sharma had a brief stay, dropped once but eventually falling to Blessing Muzarabani, who also dismissed Shubman Gill. Samson then anchored the innings, hitting spectacular sixes with his signature bat-swing, including a massive 110m hit.
Brandon Mavuta’s dismissal of Parag threatened to stall India’s momentum, but Samson continued to find boundaries and reached his fifty. Muzarabani eventually dismissed Samson with a pull shot caught at deep mid-wicket. Dube’s energetic 26 included four boundaries before a mix-up led to his run-out in the final over. Rinku Singh's six off Faraz Akram ensured India finished strongly.
For Zimbabwe, Blessing Muzarabani was the standout bowler, taking 2/19 in his four overs. However, their fielding woes continued, with three dropped catches and several fumbles contributing to their downfall throughout the series. Despite some good individual performances, Zimbabwe’s batting could not match up to India’s clinical execution.
India’s all-round performance, highlighted by Sanju Samson’s fifty and Mukesh Kumar’s four-wicket haul, secured a comprehensive victory in the fifth T20I, emphasising their dominance in the series and setting a positive tone for their future engagements.
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