BULAWAYO, Zimbabwe: Rohit Sharma hit 114 and Ravindra Jadeja added an unbeaten 61 as India reached 285-5 against Zimbabwe in the first tri-nations series one-day international on Friday.
Sharma’s fluent innings comprised six fours and four sixes off 119 balls. He mainly savaged short-pitched deliveries, in particular opening bowler Chris Mpofu.
The bedrock of India’s innings was a dominant fifth-wicket stand between Sharma and Jadeja of 61 off 61 balls.
Sharma fell in the 48th over when he skied a Mpofu delivery for wicketkeeper Brendan Taylor to take a difficult high catch.
India got off to a flying start at the Queens Sports Club, aided by wayward bowling from Zimbabwe opening bowler and new captain Elton Chigumbura, who struggled for rhythm in his first two overs. Taking the new ball with Mpofu, Chigumbura bowled too short and wide. He went for 26 runs in his second over to eventually concede 36 in those two overs.
But Zimbabwe stemmed the run flow with two quick wickets.
The first breakthrough was on the last ball of the ninth over after good work in the field by former captain Prosper Utseya, who sharply flicked back to Taylor to run out opener Viyay Murali with a reverse throw for 11.
Chigumbura made amends three balls later when he directly ran out Virat Kohli for a duck with a diving throw from second slip.
Opener Dinesh Karthik added 22 runs off 39 balls before edging Utseya behind.
Sharma and captain Suresh Raina then added 67 runs off 105 balls for the fourth wicket until Raina fetched a wide Mpofu delivery and edged to Taylor. He went for 37 runs off 53 balls.
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