#CWC15: Suresh Raina ton earns India victory

Joy Chakravarty 13:27 14/03/2015
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  • Winning streak continues: India overcame Zimbabwe as Suresh Raina and Mahendra Singh Dhoni shine.

    Suresh Raina and Mahendra Singh Dhoni spoiled what could have been the perfect farewell gift for Brendan Taylor as India managed to keep their spotless record intact in the group stage of the 2015 World Cup.

    At a loud Eden Park on Saturday, filled with vociferous Indian fans, Raina (110 not out, 104 balls, 9×4, 4×6) and Dhoni (85 not out, 76b, 8×4, 2×6) added 196 runs for the unbroken fifth-wicket partnership to guide India to a six-wicket win over Zimbabwe.

    At one stage, it looked like Zimbabwe would pull off a miraculous win at one point, when they removed the first four players in the Indian top order for just 92 runs while chasing a respectable target of 288.

    But once they dropped Raina when on 47 – Hamilton Masazadza flooring the easiest of chances off spinner Sikandar Raza with India on 155 – the two Chennai Super Kings teammates ensured that India reached the target without any further loss of wicket.

    It was not always brute power from Raina, who supplemented his all-muscle pulls with some deft tickles for four, taking advantage of the short straight boundaries.

    Dhoni finished the match with his trademark flair, depositing Tinashe Panyangara for a massive six over backward square leg.

    The result of the match was inconsequential, as India would have topped the group even if they had lost, and Zimbabwe would have failed to make it to the quarter-finals, even if they had won.

    Put into bat first after Dhoni won the toss, Zimbabwe recovered from 13-2 to post 287 all out, thanks mainly to a brilliant knock of 138 from captain Taylor, who was playing the final match of his international career in Zimbabwe colours after deciding to go Kolpak and join English county side Nottinghamshire for the next three years.

    The Indian bowlers emerged the most successful unit in the group stages when they bowled out the opposition inside 50 overs for the sixth time in six matches. And yet, Taylor (138, 110b, 15×4, 5×6) and Sean Williams (50, 57b, 3×4, 3×6) made this their toughest outing yet.

    The two players added a vital 93-run partnership for the fourth wicket, coming together at 33-3. Taylor then added 109 runs for the fifth wicket with Craig Ervine (27), before the Indian fast bowlers managed to get the remaining wickets.

    Taylor and Williams tore into the Indian spinners, especially Ravichandran Ashwin, who has had a great tournament so far. Taylor first upset his rhythm with three reverse sweep boundaries, and then Williams helped himself to three sixes in the space of two overs.

    Ashwin, who had bowled 47 overs in the first match at a miserly economy rate of 3.89, went for 75 runs in 10 yesterday – the most expensive ODI spell of his career.

    Jadeja was equally bad, giving away 71 runs in his 10. That included a nightmare ninth over to Taylor, who smashed him for two sixes and three fours as Zimbabwe milked 25 runs in a single over.

    However, the pace attack lived up to its newfound reputation, with all three seamers – Mohammed Shami, Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma – taking three wickets each.

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