Kohli Leads India to Comfortable Win

Harare: Skipper Virat Kohli slammed a brilliant 115 while debutant Ambati Rayudu made an unbeaten 59 to power India to an easy 6-wicket win over host Zimbabwe in the first ODI in Harare on Wednesday.

Both batsmen shared 159-run stand for the third wicket that helped India cross Zimbabwe's total of 228/7 with five overs to spare. Kohli's solid knock was studded with 13 boundaries and a six.

Despite dismissing Indian openers early, Zimbabwe bowlers failed to make any mark and were kept at bay by the Indian duo.

The victory put India 1-0 ahead of hosts in the 5-match ODI series.

Earlier, Sikandar Raza top-scored with a patient 82 while Elton Chigumbura hit a quickfire 34-ball 43 as Zimbabwe posted a modest 228 for seven against India.

Put in to bat, Zimbabwe seemed to have lost track after a cautious start before Chigumbura's unbeaten knock gave them the much-needed boost at the Harare Sports Club.

Legspinner Amit Mishra was the most successful Indian bowlers returning figures of three for 43, while there was a wicket apiece for R Vinay Kumar, Mohammed Shami, Jaydev Unadkat and Suresh Raina.

R Vinay Kumar proved to be the most expensive with 57 runs coming off his nine overs.

Pakistan-origin player Raza hit six fours and two sixes while Chigumbura smashed six boundaries and a six during his breezy knock.

Openers Vusi Sibanda and Raza took their time to settle down, hitting just two boundaries in the first 10 overs.

Leaving out medium-pacer Bhuvneshwar Kumar did not help India's cause initially and though debutant Unadkat, Vinay Kumar and Shami bowled to a disciplined line and length, they failed to take early wickets.

But once the spinners were introduced, Zimbabwe found it difficult to get going and India could have had a wicket in their kitty first up. But Virat Kohli dropped a straight forward catch of Raza at first slip off Ravindra Jadeja's bowling when he was batting on 27.

However, a couple of overs later, Mishra, in his first ODI in more than two years, gave India their first breakthrough trapping Sibanda lbw for 34 off 72 balls. The opening pair put up a 72-run stand in 21.5 overs.

Zimbabwe continued to crawl and brought up their 100 in the 29th over. It was however followed by two quick wickets.

Earlier, Indian captain Virat Kohli has won the toss and invites Zimbabwe to bat.

Ambati Rayudu and Jaydev Unadkat making their ODI debuts.

Teams

Zimbabwe: Hamilton Masakadza, Vusi Sibanda, Sikandar Raza, Brendan Taylor (Captain), Sean Williams, Malcolm Waller, Elton Chigumbura, Tinotenda Mutombodzi (wk), Prosper Utseya, Kyle Jarvis, Tendai Chatara

India: Shikhar Dhawan, Rohit Sharma, Virat Kohli (Captain), Dinesh Karthik (wk), Suresh Raina, Ambati Rayudu, Ravindra Jadeja, Amit Mishra, Shami Ahmed, Vinay Kumar, Jaidev Unadkat

Brief scores
Zimbabwe 228 for 7 (Raza 82, Mishra 3-43)
India 230 for 4 (Kohli 115, Rayudu 63*)
Result India won by six wickets
MOM Virat Kohli (India)