WORLD champions India came to party with a commanding 10-wicket win over hosts Zimbabwe in the decisive fourth T20I match at Harare Sports Club to wrap up the series 3-1 with a game to spare yesterday.
India raced to 100 runs at half stage chasing Zimbabwe's respectable tally, 152/7 after the locals were sent in to bat first racing to 156 for no loss inside 15.2 overs.
Skipper, Shubman Gill and fellow opener Yashasvi Jaiswal reached half centuries each in a chanceless innings, whose footage will help the transitioning youthful Zimbabwean side in their quest to conquer the world.
Even the local fans clamoured for a six to end the match as a contest when India reached 150 needing only four runs to win.
Such was India's influence in the match that they could charm and tame the usually intimidating home crowd.
Jaiswal finished on 93 off 53 balls bludgeoning 13 fours and two sixes. His captain, Gill scored 58 not out from 39 balls spiced up with six boundaries and two maximum.
But, credit to Zimbabwe even in the aftermath of a defeat for putting up a respectable target and finishing their overs.
The only downside is the team's inability to penetrate India's batting to get at least a wicket. Indian openers ammased 19 boundaries and four sixes with relative ease.
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On the other hand, Zimbabwe managed a combined 10 boundaries and three sixes in the battle of the IPL versus the NPL.
Wessly Madhevere and Tadiwanashe Marumani gave the Chevrons a good start putting up 63 runs for the first wickets, Marumani was caught by Rinku Singh off Washington Sundar for a near ball-a-run 32 in the ninth over.
Madhevere followed eight deliveries later for a 24-ball 25, caught by Singh off Shivam Dube leaving Zimbabwe on 67/2 after 10 overs.
Zimbabwe captain Sikandar Raza was the penultimate to fall for Zimbabwe four runs shy of a half century, 46 from 28 balls after being caught by Gill off the bowling of Tushar Deshpande after 18.3 overs with the Chevrons on 147/6.
Dion Myers, the star of the show in the 23-run defeat in the third T201 on Wednesday was the last wicket to fall for 12 runs While Clive Madande and Faraz Akram finished unbeaten on seven and four runs respectively.
The two sides are back again this afternoon for a last dance, the fifth and final T20I at Harare Sports Club.
For India it is for academic interest as they have bagged the series, but for Zimbabwe the learning process continues; you do not get these invaluable lessons from the dustbin but from playing against world beaters, India.
