What

Match 2 of the five-game bilateral ODI series between Zimbabwe and India

When

July 26, 2013, Friday

Where

Harare Sports Club, Harare, Zimbabwe

Teams

Zimbabwe

Barring a couple of decent performances – from Sikandar Raza (82) and Elton Chigumbura (43* and 1 for 30) – the hosts failed to pose any serious challenge to India in the series opener. Given their recent fine form at home, Zimbabwe will hope for a tighter contest in the second ODI. The biggest positive the home team can draw from the last match was the 72-run opening stand between Vusi Sibanda and Raza as they countered the prodigiously swinging new ball with aplomb. If the middle-order batsmen play their part, Zimbabwe can aim for a challenging total. The bowlers, who did well to pick up four Indian wickets while defending 228, would then have a bit more to play with.

India

Apart from the failure to get early breakthroughs in decent bowling conditions and the fact that they lost four wickets in the 229-run chase, India expectedly dominated the minnows in the first match. Debutants Ambati Rayudu (63*) and Jaydev Unadkat (10-1-39-1) had a good game and are likely to keep their spots for the second match. The winning combination is unlikely to be disturbed; which means the Suresh Raina might get another shot to bounce back in form.

Key players

Zimbabwe

All eyes were on Sikandar Raza before the first match and he did show his ability on the big stage. An opening batsman possessed with a fine combination of attack and defence, Raza was impressive in the way he countered the moving ball in the beginning and then built on the solid foundation. With the surprise factor in the Indian camp surrounding Raza having diminished now, the batsman’s sustainability will be tested.

India

Rayudu had to wait rather long to don his first India cap. But when he eventually did receive it, he made sure the occasion was well worth the wait. The challenge now for Rayudu will be to keep the likes of Ajinkya Rahane and Cheteshwar Pujara waiting in the wings a bit longer. A heap of runs in his debut series will go a long way in proving his case.

Squads

Zimbabwe: Brendan Taylor (capt/wk), Tendai Chatara, Elton Chigumbura, Michael Chinouya, Graeme Cremer, Kyle Jarvis, Timycen Maruma, Hamilton Masakadza, Natsai M’Shangwe, Tinotenda Mutombodzi, Ray Price, Vusi Sibanda, Sikandar Raza, Prosper Utseya, Brian Vitori, Malcolm Waller, Sean Williams

India: Virat Kohli (capt), Shikhar Dhawan, Dinesh Karthik (wk), Amit Mishra, Mohammad Shami, Parvez Rasool, Cheteshwar Pujara, Ajinkya Rahane, Ambati Rayudu, Mohit Sharma, Jaidev Unadkat, Vinay Kumar, Rohit Sharma, Ravindra Jadeja, Suresh Raina