India secures T20 Series victory 4-1 against Zimbabwe

Sanju Samson scored 58 as India defeated Zimbabwe by 42 runs in their fifth Twenty20 match to win the five-match series 4-1 in Zimbabwe.

Samson hit four sixes in his 45-ball innings to help India score 167-6 in 20 overs after they lost the toss and was sent in to bat first.

In reply, Zimbabwe was bowled out for 125 runs in 18.3 overs with pacer Mukesh Kumar taking 4 for 22 in 3.3 overs.

Zimbabwe won the first T20 by 13 runs, India then rebounded with four consecutive wins, the second by 100 runs, third by 23 runs and fourth by 10 wickets.

Yashasvi Jaiswal, who scored 93 not out on the previous match was bowled for 12 off five balls. Skipper Shubman Gill was caught for 13 and Abhishek Sharma was dismissed for 14 as India reached 40-3 in five overs.

Samson and Riyan Parag (22) added 65 off 56 balls for the fourth wicket as India crossed the 100-mark to stabilize the innings.

India lost a few wickets, with Samson holding ground at one end.

Shivam Dube scored 26 off 12 balls, smacking two sixes, and putting on 30 off 19 balls for the fifth wicket.

Zimbabwe pacer Blessing Muzarabani finished with 2-19 in four overs.

Zimbabwe’s start was disturbed as opener Wessly Madhevere was bowled for a three-ball duck by Kumar. He also took Brian Bennett for 10 runs.

Zimbabwe fought back with a 44-run partnership between Tadiwanashe Marumani (27) and Dion Myers (34).

Washington Sundar (1-7 in two overs) got the breakthrough in the ninth over, while Dube (2-25) dismissed Myers.

Captain Sikandar Raza was run out for eight and Zimbabwe crashed from 85-3 to 94-7 in the space of 15 deliveries.

Faraz Akram scored 27 off 13 balls to take Zimbabwe past 100, but they just could not get a win.